Delhi CM Kejriwal orders magisterial probe into rape, murder of 9-yr-old

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered a magisterial enquiry on Wednesday into the alleged rape and murder of a 9-year-old Dalit girl at a crematorium near Delhi cantonment

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ordered a magisterial enquiry on Wednesday into the alleged rape and murder of a 9-year-old Dalit girl at a crematorium near Delhi cantonment.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI)

He also announced ex-gratia financial assistance of ₹10 lakh for the girl’s family and assured them that the Delhi government would appoint the best lawyers in the case.

“I met the family of the girl today [Wednesday] and shared their grief. We shall give ex-gratia financial help of ₹10 lakh to the family, there will be a magisterial probe, and we shall appoint renowned lawyers to ensure that the culprits are punished. The central government should take adequate steps to strengthen the law and order system in Delhi. We assure them of full cooperation,” said Kejriwal in a tweet on Wednesday.

Delhi Police and public order in the Capital is under the domain of the union home ministry.

A board of three doctors will conduct an autopsy of the charred remains of the girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered on Sunday by four people at a crematorium near Delhi cantonment. Her family members and political activists protested against the incident for the fourth day on Wednesday.

The accused, including the 55-year-old priest of the crematorium, were booked under sections pertaining to rape, murder and threatening charges, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the SC/ST Act. They were sent to jail. Though the accused have maintained that the girl died of electrocution while fetching water from an electric cooler, the family have alleged that the suspects hurriedly cremated the body after frightening the family off from informing the police about her death.