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Haryana to handover case of Bhiwani teacher’s death to CBI amid outrage
Police said the teacher died after consuming pesticide, even as her family rejected the findings of an initial probe, alleged foul play, and refused to cremate the body
The Haryana government late on Tuesday announced it would handover the probe into the death of a 19-year-old play school teacher in Bhiwani to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) amid calls for a round-the-clock sit-in if the case is not handed over to the federal agency.
The teacher’s body was recovered near a canal two days after she went missing on August 11. Police said she died after consuming pesticide, even as her family rejected the findings of an initial probe, alleged foul play, and refused to cremate the body. On Monday, locals and family members of the teacher threatened the sit-in at Dhani Laxman village.
Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said the state government and police are working with seriousness and transparency to ensure justice for the teacher and her family. “I am continuously monitoring this case. As per the family’s demand, the state government will hand over this case to the CBI for impartial investigation. Justice will be delivered in the matter.”
On Tuesday, Dhani Laxman residents submitted a memorandum to sub-divisional magistrate Manoj Kumar, and urged that a third autopsy be conducted at New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences. The teacher’s post-mortem was conducted at Bhiwani Civil Hospital and Rohtak’s Post-graduate Institute of Medical Sciences.
On Tuesday, the authorities suspended mobile internet, bulk SMS, and dongle services in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts amid outrage as the woman’s family rejected the police findings. The state home department justified the move, saying it was meant to stop misinformation on social media platforms and mobilisation of demonstrators, who could cause loss of life and damage to property by indulging in violence.
Rohtak range inspector general Y Puran Kumar said that there were no acid marks on the woman’s face, and her body parts were not missing. “Police are investigating this case on scientific measures, and whether she killed herself by consuming poison. The woman was seen leaving a pesticide shop, and her name was also registered in the shopkeeper’s daily diary.”
Kumar said a suicide note was recovered on August 13 when her body was found.
The woman’s father said they were unhappy with the autopsy reports and police findings. “I urge people to join the fight for justice for my daughter.” The father said that if the suicide note was recovered the same day, why did the government transfer the Bhiwani police superintendent and suspend five police personnel for negligence? “We suspect foul play.”
He said that farmers regularly use the area from where the body was found, but still no one noticed the body for two days. “No one spotted her there. We suspect she was killed somewhere and her body was thrown there.”
