'Probe Manipur girl's death again'

Civil rights activists, lawyers join her parents in protest

Civil rights activists, lawyers and the parents of a Manipur girl found dead  under mysterious circmumstances here on May 29 have demanded a re-investigation in the case by an independent body.

They alleged that there are gaps in the original Delhi Police probe and had, in August, also filed a writ petition in the high court. “The investigation was not done at all. The crime scene was open to the public,” said Alma, civil rights activist at a press conference on Monday.

The activist said Delhi Police issued a press statement on May 29 declaring that 21-year-old A S Reingamphi’s death to be suicide by consuming some toxic substance.

“This was done without any proper investigation. The police refused to give us the report despite asking for it many times. It was only when we filed a writ petition, we got a call from the cops asking us to take the report. The viscera report issued by the Forensic Science Laboratory stated that no traces of poison or drugs were found in the body of the victim,” said Alma.

The parents complained that the police initially refused to file an FIR.

“It took over 300 people and many hours to just get it filed. The police also refused to file the FIR under the sections for murder and possible rape, as the case appeared prima facie. After losing hope we had to file a petition in the court,” said Bruce Thangkhal, member, Naga Students’ Union.

Activists said that while Reingamphi’s murder was a starting point, the petition draws a larger picture of the violations faced by people from the northeast living in the National Capital Region.

They mentioned the gang rape of a 20-year-old Delhi University student from Mizoram in 2005 in Dhaula Kuan in a moving car, and the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl from Nagaland in Mahipalpur in 2009.

Activists said the latest case, on the face of it, was of murder. “There were signs of brutal mutilation on her nose, face and her legs. Her eyelids were scratched, eyes were bleeding and there was a pool of blood where she was found lying. The police theory of rodents nibbling on the corpse is unbelievable,” said an activist.

The activists alleged that an acquaintance of the deceased was being given a clean chit though that he was trying to push the victim into a sexual relationship, which she repulsed. They alleged that the landlord was also antagonistic towards her.