Slum demolition row: Delhi Police register case over infant’s death

Delhi Police registered a case of death due to negligence in connection with the loss of life of an infant allegedly during a demolition drive in a slum cluster in west Delhi’s Shakurbasti area.

Delhi Police registered a case of death due to negligence in connection with the loss of life of an infant allegedly during a demolition drive in a slum cluster in west Delhi’s Shakurbasti area.

A woman sits near her demolished shanty at Shakur Basti. Delhi Police registered a case of death due to negligence in connection with the loss of life of an infant allegedly during the demolition drive in the slum cluster. (Arvind Yadav/HT Photo)

The cas was filed at Punajbi Bagh police station, on the basis of statement of Mohammad Anwar, father of the seven-month-old girl, on Saturday.

“The case has been registered under Section 304 A (causing death due to negligence) at Punjabi Bagh police station. Investigation has been taken up,” said Pushpendra Kumar, DCP(west).

According to the statement by Anwar, a tied bundle of clothes fell down on the girl sleeping on the floor as the family in a hurry to vacate their shanty was collecting their belongings, said a senior police officer.

Autopsy of the infant was performed at Sanjay Gandhi Memorial hospital. The post-mortem report has mentioned cause of her death due to shock and injuries on chest and head by impact of blunt force.

“The cause of death of the seven-month old baby was shock as a result of chest and head injury, the report said. Autopsy has revealed fractures in ribs and head injury, it added.

A fresh confrontation between the Delhi government and the Center has erupted after railways demolished the slum cluster to clear “encroachments” and the baby died there on December 12, evoking angry protests from chief minister Arvind Kejriwal who wanted murder case to be registered.

Kejriwal met Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Monday to discuss the issue.

Also, the AAP government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the demolition drive and death of the infant though railways stuck to its stand that the incident had “nothing to do with removal of encroachments”.