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Video Editor: Mohd Irshad Alam
Senior Editor: Shelly Walia
The roads leading to Old Nangal village, near Delhi Cantonment, were blocked from either sides on Tuesday, 3 August.
Hundreds of women and men from the villages had gathered under a make-shift tent outside a crematorium where a nine-year-old girl, a member of the Valmiki community, was allegedly raped, murdered and forcibly cremated, a day earlier.
"I just want my child back. I will give anything to have her back. Just give me my daughter back," Gudiya's mother, who was in shock, told The Quint.
The accused have been identified as Radhey Shyam, the priest at the crematorium, and Kuldeep Kumar (63), Laxmi Narain (48) and Mohd Salim (49), all of whom the locals say were acquainted with the girl.
Even before the parents could process what happened, Gudiya's neighbors say that, her body was 'half-cremated.'
"Her lips were blue and she had burn marks here and there. So when the neighbors and the rest of us reached, she was being burnt alive," alleged Sunita, who identified herself as Gudiya's aunt.
Kishore Beniwal, who resides in the Old Nangal village, said that Gudiya's parents are ragpickers and lived near the crematorium. They even helped clean the place – which is how Gudiya became acquainted with the priest.
The villagers then put out the fire. However, they could only save parts of her feet, some scalp and a part of her hip.
DCP (Southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said that as per the girl’s mother's statement, an FIR has registered under IPC sections 304-A (causing death by negligence), 201 (destruction of evidence), 342 (wrongful restraint) and 34 (common intention), as well as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, SC/ST Act, and IPC sections 302 (punishment for murder), 376 (punishment for rape), and 506 at the Delhi Cantonment police station.
However, the family claims that they do not have access to the FIR and are not able to verify whether the said charges have been filed or not.
Advocate Seema Kushwaha, who was the lawyer who led the 2012 Delhi gangrape case, said that she would like to represent Gudiya – but needed a copy of the FIR to proceed.
Locals allege that the cops took the parents to the police station, kept them overnight and questioned them.
The forensics team and a crime team has also collected evidence from the scene. The Delhi Police say that the report is expected in the next few days.
Residents of the Delhi village slammed also the Central government for 'ignoring' women's safety.
They said that the government was doing 'nothing except give fancy slogans' on issues related to women.
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Published: 04 Aug 2021,03:42 PM IST