Gaya teen murder: Police blame victim's family; activists allege falsehood
The savage murder of a minor girl in Gaya has sent shockwaves across the city. Protests have erupted, candle marches have been taken out, and public anger is at an all-time high. Yet, it is still unclear who murdered the girl - while police say that her own family got her killed, activists have alleged that police are peddling a false narrative. Here's more.
The girl had gone missing from her home in Gaya on December 28, and days later, on January 6, her headless body was found in a decomposed condition. When her severed head was discovered 5km away, it was found that her face had been burnt with acid. There were deep gashes on her torso, and her breasts had been cut off too.
Following the gruesome discovery, the victim's family alleged that she had been gang-raped and then murdered. They had also accused the police of inaction, alleging that the cops refused to file a missing persons report when they reported their daughter to be missing. Police, however, have a different narrative, and think the victim's family is responsible for her murder.
While the family maintains that the girl went missing on December 28 and never returned, police say that she returned home on December 31. However, on that very night, the girl was sent out again by her father with a person known to the family. This person has been detained by the police, but he has denied murdering the girl. Meanwhile, the girl's father is in police custody.
"It's a case of honor killing. The girl eloped with someone on December 28 from her home in Patwa panchayat but returned after three days. This angered the parents, who plotted the cold-blooded murder with the help of a butcher friend," Gaya SSP Rajiv Kumar Mishra told HT.
Activists, however, have pointed out several discrepancies. Speaking to Outlook, activists said that the police are trying to silence the girl's family and are peddling false narratives. They also said that the girl's autopsy report was due on January 9, but has still not been released. Further, they said that CCTV footage showed the girl leaving home on December 28, but she was not seen coming back.
"Higher authorities and the police are manufacturing stories and the media is reporting it," a neighbor who did not wish to be named told Outlook.
Meanwhile, public anger in Gaya has reached a boiling point over the lack of arrests and a perceived delay in police action. A series of candle light marches were taken out on Tuesday and Wednesday, while schools, factories, and weavers shut down operations on January 9 to protest against the gruesome murder. Protests have also rocked other parts of Bihar, including the capital, Patna.
