Priyank Kanoongo, the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has voiced serious concerns about the Jharkhand police investigation into the brutal murder of the 15-year-old Hindu girl Ankita Kumari was set ablaze by her stalker named Shahrukh Hussain. According to reports, the chief of the apex child rights body will be travelling to Dumka to investigate the negligence in handling the incident.
The team is scheduled to visit Dumka on September 4, according to ANI.
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NCPCR chief says adequate care not given to Dumka victim https://t.co/e4zcDAHJKy @KanoongoPriyank @NCPCR_ @AashiqueHussain @omnarayan47 @sahilpndy @anandmriu21 @pushkarnamynk @pankbsc @nigam_shafali
“We’ll go there, meet doctors & family members of the child. We’ll investigate the whole matter & convey it in our report…According to service rules, stern action will be taken against people who deprived the child of her rights,” Kanoongo said.
“I spoke to the child’s father over call. Police did not do proper hearing, proper treatment was not given to her. If a child dies due to lack of treatment, it is gross negligence of the administration and government. We’ll collect facts on it and ensure action is taken,” the NCPCR chief added.
Kanoongo went on to say that the Jharkhand Police concealed several things and misquoted the victim’s age, causing the girl child to be denied Juvenile Justice Act provisions. It amounts to criminal negligence. Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) sections was not utilized in the case. It was invoked only yesterday in response to a request from the Child Welfare Committee, he said.
Here it becomes imperative to recall that a week after the crime occurred, DSP Noor Mustafa of Dumka had been suspended following allegations of negligence and helping the accused Shahrukh Hussain in weakening the case. In fact, the former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi shared some documents stating that DSP Mustafa has not only been anti-tribal but also had a communal trait to him.
Notably, on Thursday, almost 10 days after the heinous incident, the Jharkhand Police added the sections of the POCSO Act to the Ankita Singh murder case of Dumka. The girl was set on fire alive while she was asleep at 4 am in her home on August 23. The accused were identified as Shahrukh Hussain and Naeem alias Chotu and were booked under the relevant sections of the IPC. Now, POCSO charges have been added to the case.
This is after the Jharkhand Child Welfare Committee took cognizance of the incident and revealed that Ankita who was studying in class 12 was a minor as per her birth documents and certificates. Earlier the Police had claimed that she was 19 years old when she died. However, the CWC brought out the deceased’s class 10 mark sheet which mentioned her date of birth as November 26, 2006.
Ankita Singh, a 15-year-old Dumka resident, was burned alive by two accused named Shahrukh and Naeem. The accused allegedly poured the flammable fuel on her from her bedroom window while she was fast asleep. She was taken to the hospital shortly after the incident and died from her burn injuries on August 28.
Days after Ankita’s death, videos of her last words went viral over social media where she could be heard demanding painful death for the accused who set her on fire. “He should die the way I am dying today,” the Dumka girl had said who breathed her last at 2.30 am on Sunday.
