×
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

'My responsibility to help them': Rahul Gandhi meets family of Dalit minor allegedly raped, killed in Delhi

A nine-year-old Dalit girl died under suspicious circumstances with her parents alleging that she was raped and forcefully cremated by a priest in south-west Delhi
Last Updated 04 August 2021, 07:56 IST

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday met the family of the minor girl who was allegedly raped, murdered and cremated without her parents' consent in Old Nangal crematorium in Delhi.

In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi said that all he knows if that it is his responsibility to help them.

A nine-year-old Dalit girl died under suspicious circumstances with her parents alleging that she was raped and forcefully cremated by a priest in southwest Delhi, triggering criticism from Opposition parties against Delhi Police and Home Minister Amit Shah.

After recording the statement of the victim's mother, police have added rape charges in the FIR and arrested four persons, including the priest.

According to police, the girl had gone to get cold water from a cooler at the crematorium after informing her mother at around 5:30 pm on Sunday. Half an hour later, they claimed, the priest Radhey Shyam called the family and informed them that she got electrocuted while getting water from the cooler.

The priest along with others showed the mother the girl's body. There were burn marks between her left wrist and elbow while her lips were also blue, PTI reported.

The priest along with his associates persuaded her mother against calling the police saying that doctors will steal the girl's organs during postmortem and it was better to cremate her, police said. The girl was cremated but later, the woman and her husband claimed there was some foul play.

Police said a preliminary forensic examination showed that there were signs of electrocution. Prima facie, they claimed, a heavy flow of current was observed from the cooler, the official said.

The police also went to the spot where the victim was cremated. It was examined and tooth, fractured particles of her skull, along with parts below the ankle were recovered. These were handed over to police which will submit the samples at the lab for further examination, according to the official. The Delhi Commission for Women has launched an inquiry into the incident that took place in Old Nangal area in southwest Delhi and summoned the city police.

(With PTI inputs)

ADVERTISEMENT
(Published 04 August 2021, 05:45 IST)

Follow us on

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT