Man alleges cops forced him to cremate daughter

12-year-old allegedly hanged herself, but parents fear she was raped, murdered Not allowed near pyre, says mother

DCW GLARE ON DELHI POLICE

Night Shift? delhinewsline@expressindia. com DELHI POLICE was engulfed in controversy Friday after the cremation of a 12-year-old girl who allegedly committed suicide. The girl’s parents alleged she was “raped and murdered”, and lashed out at the police.

The girl’s father, a labourer, alleged police “forced him” him to complete the last rites, while her mother, who works as a domestic help, said police did not even allow her near the body. Their allegations brought the police under the gaze of the Delhi Commission For Women (DCW).

The girl allegedly hanged herself at home in southwest Delhi’s Inderpuri area Thursday afternoon, said police. Her family said, after the post-mortem at Safdarjung Hospital, police rushed the body to the cremation ground Friday afternoon.

The girl’s mother said, “They put my husband in the police car and told me they were taking my daughter’s body to my home. I came to know police had taken her to the cremation ground in Green Park Extension. When I went there, police did not let me approach the pyre.” She added she was not satisfied with the post-mortem, as doctors had told them there were no signs of murder. “My sister saw the body and she told me my daughter’s salwar was down towards her knee. We suspected foul play and requested the doctor to conduct the post-mortem again, but police took the body away.”

She said she had last spoke to her daughter around 12.30 pm Thursday. “I asked her why she hadn’t gone for tuition. She said she was cleaning utensils and would go later.” After about an hour, locals told her of some problem at her home. “I rushed home and locals told me my daughter had committed suicide. I could not believe it.”

After preliminary inquiry, DCW said police had approached the cremation ground almost two-and-a-half hours before the last rites. “This is strange for at that time, even her postmortem had not been completed. The commission spoke to the SDM of the area... who said even he had not been intimated of the case as mandated under Section 174 of CRPC,” the commission said in a statement.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal told The Indian Express, “Prima facie, there is a strong chance of destruction of evidence. We have initiated an inquiry and will take action accordingly.”

Police, however, said the post-mortem did not reveal any foul play. DCP (southwest) Surender Kumar said, “We have followed all due procedures. It is a case of suicide.” He added, “Also, one of the sisters of the victim told us she was repeatedly scolded and even beaten up by her father for not going to tuition regularly. The victim had even confided in her sister that if their father continued scolding and beating her, she would commit suicide,” added Singh.

On the allegedly hasty cremation, another officer said police feared a law and order problem.

Express DCW members at the crematorium Friday.