Delhi Rape Victim’s Relatives, Activists Demand Justice

Date:

Protest at DCP Office, Ashok Vihar, Delhi demanding justice for the victim belonging to the Nishad community of Dalits.

The family has been alleging foul play in their daughter’s death but the Delhi Police, even after nearly a month has passed, has not registered any First Information Report (FIR) so far

Mohd Aasif | Clarion India

NEW DELHI – Students, women activists, local residents and relatives of a teen-aged girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered in Gurhmandi locality in North Delhi’s posh Model Town complex, staged a protest at DCP Office, Ashok Vihar, Delhi demanding justice for the victim belonging to the Nishad community of Dalits.

The protesters, who gathered under the banner of ‘Committee for Gurhmandi Victim’, shouted slogans accusing the police of harassing them and protecting upper-caste culprits.

“We demand strict action against ACP Ajay Kumar and Officials of Model Town Police Station,” said Anil Sethumadhvan, a student activist of Students Federation of India (SFI).

The victim, who was found dead at her upper-caste employer’s home in Gurhmandi near Delhi University (DU) campus about a month ago, belonged to a Dalit family from Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh. The family has been alleging foul play in their daughter’s death but the Delhi Police, even after nearly a month has passed, has not registered any First Information Report (FIR) so far.

On October 16, when a protest was held at the Model Town Police Station demanding registration of an FIR against the accused, ACP Ajay Kumar & SHO harassed and brutalised the protesting relatives of the victim, along with their supporters who included students of DU and journalists.

“This came after the Delhi Police shunned the case by calling it a ‘suicide’ despite the family’s claim of rape and murder”, said another protester.

The Gurhmandi case, said Rushda Siddique of National Federation of Indian Women (NFIW), is another example of how the Constitution and laws could be violated with impunity, that too by those who were supposed to be custodians of the law.

“On the face of it, the similarities between the Gurhmandi and the Hathras cases are clearly visible. Both girls were Dalit, from poor families and victims of men who came from upper caste backgrounds.”

Like in the Hathras incident, in the Gurhmandi case also, the police hurriedly cremated the body of the victim against the will of the family members. Dr. Rushda said that it was important to understand the kind of precedent that the Hathras case has set. “The police can dispose of the body like garbage and not register an FIR, even when there are activists and legally aware people asking for it”, she added.

During the protests, the DCP was not present but the ACP at Ashok Vihar talked to a delegation of protesters. The delegation submitted the memorandum regarding the demands in the rape case.

“Even the post-mortem was not done in time. The police also forcibly cremated the body of the victim against the legal procedure and the rituals of the family”, reads the memorandum submitted to the DCP of Ashok Vihar Police Station.

“Giving no real assurances on the excesses committed by officers, students were told that due investigation will be done in the case within 7 days and action will be taken against the culprits if found guilty”, said Deepak, member of Parivartankami Chhatra Sangathan (PACHHAS).

Deepak told Clarion India that the delegation told the Delhi Police that if they failed to meet the demands, protests would be intensified.  “We shall continue the movement for justice until justice is delivered to the Dalit girl and due action is taken against the police officers involved in harassment of protesters”, he added.

theclarionindia
theclarionindiahttps://clarionindia.net
Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

‘Do Not Erase, Do Not Reload EVM Data’: Supreme Court Directs Election Commission

The bench asked the poll panel to file its...

Mushawarat Grieved over Kumbh Mela Stampede; Lauds Muslims for Extending Help 

Team Clarion  NEW DELHI - The All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (AIMMM)...

Jamia Students Protest Disciplinary Action against Student Activists

Carrying Posters with slogans like 'Without Dissent there is...

AAP Secures Highest Percentage of Muslim and Dalit Votes in Delhi

Team Clarion NEW DELHI - The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has...