As a second horrific incident of rape and murder of a minor was reported in Madhya Pradesh within 48 hours, this time in capital Bhopal, political accusations and counter-statements flew thick and high.
The 10-year-old girl, a resident of a poor settlement in Kamla Nagar area, had gone out to purchase pan masala pouch on Saturday night and did not return. Her body was found close to her home near a drain early on Sunday morning. Postmortem revealed that she was strangulated to death after rape, police said.
The incident comes within 48 hours of rape and murder of a five-year-old in Ujjain by a youth who was her neighbour.
Meanwhile, the Bhopal police have already identified the accused, this one also a neighbor of the victim, and teams have been dispatched to nab him, deputy inspector general (DIG), Bhopal, Irshad Wali told THE WEEK.
Wali said that there were strong evidences against the suspect as blood marks, broken bangles of the girl and the pouch of pan masala she bought was found at his home, just a house away from that of victim.
Seven cops including an ASI, two head constables and four sepoys attached to the Kamla Nagar police station have been suspended on charges of negligence, Home Minister Bala Bachchan told the media. He added that the accused would be arrested soon.
The family and neighbours of the victim had alleged gross negligence by the cops who, apparently, delayed on filing the missing report or responding to the requests of the family to search for the girl.
The cops also reportedly told the family that the girl might have eloped, though she was only 10. Later in the night, the cops arrived in the locality in inebriated condition, and demanded tea and tobacco from the family, they alleged.
Politics boils
Political accusations were hurled after the incident as Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur and former minister (who earlier represented the constituency) Umashankar Gupta visited the spot and met the family members.
Thakur demanded capital punishment for the accused, blamed poor law and order in state and negligent attitude of the police and promised that she would do something about it.
Gupta said that there was no semblance of law and order under the Congress rule, and people were getting apprehensive about even allowing their daughters to go out of home. He said that he, along with other BJP MLAs, would meet the governor in the evening and submit a memorandum seeking safety of girls and women, and improvement of law and order situation.
State BJP chief Rakesh Singh also issued a statement saying that law and order had totally collapsed in Madhya Pradesh and the government was busy in transferring officers, which made them unsettled.
Senior Congress leader and ex-chief minister Digvijaya Singh expressed grief over the incident and said that stern punishment would be ensured for the accused. He said that the home minister has already asked the district administration to conduct the trial in the case in a fast track court.
Meanwhile, state public relations minister P.C. Sharma, who represents the assembly constituency (Bhopal South-West), earlier reached the hospital to pacify the family members and get them to agree to postmortem. Later, he also participated in the last rites of the victim, who belongs to minority community. He also shouldered her bier. The minister promised strict action in the case.
