Days after a nine-year-old Dalit girl was found dead at a crematorium in Southwest Delhi, her family cremated her remains on Wednesday amid tight security.
Police said they increased security around the crematorium and the locality amid protests by villagers and members of the Bhim Army.
The family has alleged she was raped, killed, and cremated against their wishes inside the crematorium on August 1. Police arrested four men — crematorium priest Radhey Shyam (55) and Kuldeep Kumar (63), Laxmi Narain (48) and Mohd Salim (49) — on charges of rape and murder. The case is now being investigated by the Crime Branch.
DCP (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said, “The cremation was done with the family’s consent after doctors from DDU Hospital returned the body. The final rites were performed in the presence of family and friends. During the cremation, a group of 25-30 people who have been protesting the girl’s death tried to stop it. Since the girl’s parents wanted to cremate the body, police removed the protesters.”
According to police, the girl had gone to get water from a cooler at the crematorium near her house. Police said around 30 minutes later, the priest and two-three other people known to the girl’s mother called her and showed her the body, claiming she was electrocuted while getting water. The girl’s parents claimed Shyam coerced them to cremate her body. However, a group of villagers intervened, stopped the cremation, and pulled the body from the pyre.
The girl’s remains were sent for a forensic examination, but doctors haven’t submitted a report yet.
Minor raped, accused apprehended
A six-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in East Delhi Wednesday. The girl sustained injuries and was admitted to AIIMS. Police said the accused has been apprehended.
“A case has been registered under IPC sections 376 AB (sexual assault on a woman under 12 years of age), 376 (rape) and sections of the POCSO Act and SC/ST Act. The girl was medically examined and has been referred to AIIMS for a paediatrician’s opinion,” said DCP (East) Priyanka Kashyap.
Meanwhile, members from the Congress and AAP went to the hospital and spoke to the victim’s family.
This story first appeared on indianexpress.com