Protest in Bhiwani, kin refuse to claim body till accused arrested
Rohtak, Aug. 18 -- The opposition parties and social activists gathered at Bhiwani's Dhigawa village on Sunday, where family members of a 19-year-old play school teacher, have been protesting for the past three days. The family and villagers are demanding the arrest of those responsible for Manisha's murder. Manisha was found dead with her throat slit on in the fields of Singhani village on August 13.
The protesters blocked the Delhi-Pilani road calling for justice for the victim. The blockade lasted for nearly two hours as police intervened to pacify the agitators, following which the blockade was lifted.
Manisha was last seen leaving her school in Singhani at 1:58 pm on August 11. She went to a nearby private nursing college to inquire about admission to a B.Sc nursing course. CCTV footage confirmed that she was near the college that same afternoon. However, her whereabouts after that point remained unknown until her body was found two days later.
Manisha's father Sanjay Singh had alleged that the Loharu police had initially refused to lodge a missing persons report on August 11, suggesting that his daughter might have run away or gone on a trip and would return in a few days. It was only the following day that a missing complaint was registered.
Later, a murder case was registered after her body was recovered on August 13.
The victim's family has also accused the management of the nursing college of withholding crucial evidence. According to the family, when the police visited the college, the staff refused to provide CCTV footage until August 13, further fueling suspicions.
Manisha's father has vowed not to cremate his daughter's body until the perpetrators are arrested. "The police failed to act on time and because of their negligence, my daughter is dead. They have failed to arrest the perpetrators of the crime even after five days of the incident," he said.
Political leaders from various parties voiced their concerns over the handling of the case.
Jannayak Janata Party's youth president, Digvijay Chautala, stated, "We heard that the Haryana police is so capable that it can dig out the accused from the graveyard but the police's hands are empty in this case. The police have even failed to identify the accused. Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini is influenced by Delhi and is not giving the police a free hand to act."
Indian National Lok Dal leader Sunaina Chautala said that the BJP government has failed to deliver justice to a poor family whose 19-year-old girl was killed
"The police should take immediate action to apprehend the criminals," she said.
Congress leader Raju Mann called the current situation in Haryana a "jungle raj." "Criminals seem to be running a parallel government here," he said.
State irrigation minister and Tosham MLA Shruti Choudhry defended the government's actions, stating that swift measures were taken, including suspension of five police officers and transfer of Bhiwani SP. "The chief minister has assured that those responsible for this crime will not be spared," she said.
Anurag Dhanda, national media in-charge of Aam Aadmi Party, also condemned the state's handling of the case. "Law and order has completely collapsed in Haryana," Dhanda said.
Singhani sarpanch Sanjeet Kumar said the SP Sumit Kumar has informed them that police has got leads in the case and it would be solved soon.
Dr Balwan Singh, principal medical officer at Bhiwani civil hospital, who was part of the autopsy team, said the woman's skin was damaged and it appears that she was partially attacked by an animal....
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