Suicide by minor tribal girl in MP: Cops trying to save accused, say kin

Family members of a deceased minor girl from the Bhil tribe in Madhya Pradesh are struggling to bring abettors of her suicide to justice. They allege the police have freed the accused and are avoiding investigation under political pressure.

Family members of a deceased minor girl from the Bhil tribe in Madhya Pradesh are struggling to bring abettors of her suicide to justice. They allege the police have freed the accused and are avoiding investigation under political pressure.

The victim, based in Rajgarh village of Dhar district, hanged herself on February 10 after Rinku alias Abhilash Thakur allegedly refused to marry her after exploiting her physically for marriage.

The victim’s mother told media persons that Sardarpur police have purportedly not arrested Abhilash, his father Prem Singh Thakur and mother Sunita Thakur from Rajgarh as named in the complaint since the suicide.

“Since the last one-and-a-half month, no one from Rajgarh police station has come to our house to either record our statement, collect details of her cellphone or for investigation. They are yet to get her autopsy report.

“They are deliberately trying to save the Thakur family, who have political connections. The accused are now out of reach of police,” said the victim’s mother.

“Rinku teased my daughter frequently. Both families made a legal compromise and settled the issue but he kept on harassing her. Abhilash physically exploited her on fake proposal of marriage. Later, he refused to marry her claiming that she belongs to Bhil tribe. This forced my daughter to end her life,” added the complainant.

Following media reports, Rajgarh police rushed to Kushalgarh in Rajasthan for investigation.

Sardarpur police sub-divisional police officer (SDOP) Gourishankar Chaddar rubbished allegations of working under political pressure and said a complaint has been registered against Rinku and his parents. “Since the victim belongs to Bhil tribe, police have added sections of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. A team has been sent to Rajasthan in search of the trio. We’ll find out mobile details of the victim,” said the SDOP.