HYDERABAD: Numerous women's groups have come forward to allege police inaction in the death of a 13-month-old baby girl at the Omkar Nagar Basti settlement in Miyapur. The infant belonged to the Dalit community and was found dead under suspicious circumstances on September 13.
According to the Women and Transgender groups JAC, the incident occurred on September 12, when the mother could not find the girl after coming home late at night. She was eventually found dead at 5.15 am the next day. The JAC noted that the parents reported an injury to the baby's eyes with bleeding marks, white fluid in her mouth and injuries on her nails and fingers.
The incident reminded the groups of the recent incident at Saidabad, where a 6-year-old child was raped and murdered by her neighbour. "The lapses began from here itself as the police sent the body for a postmortem examination to Gandhi Hospital, and eventually forced the victim's parents to conduct their daughter’s last rites at Kurnool. The police did not allow the parents to return to the basti, so as to hush up the matter," said Satyathi Kondaveeti, social activist and a member of the JAC.
Though villagers suspected an individual by the name Ramanjaneylu, reportedly an alcoholic, the police failed to apprehend him. "Instead, the police illegally detained the victim’s family and even took two minor children aged seven and 16 to the police station. In fact, the 16-year-old girl was placed in illegal custody for two days, in violation of the JJ Act," Kondaveeti added.
Cops await FSL
Miyapur police SHO S Venkatesh noted that as they could not find enough clues, they were awaiting the forensic reports, as there appeared to be signs of drowning and some injuries on the child’s backside