Whether it is the effect of the candle march, door-to-door campaign, installation of several hoardings seeking justice for Vidhu Jain or the tormenting video of the small child crying for help going public on social media, but the government seems to have woken up and now planning to hand over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
There had been a lot of criticism at all levels over the failure of the police to nab the killers of Vidhu Jain, 11, who was burnt alive in broad daylight on September 30 in Malerkotla. Of late, the demand for the CBI probe had gained momentum.
Rajya Sabha member and Shiromani Akali Dal general secretary Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said, "I have talked to the deputy commissioner and he has given his full assurance to hand over this case to the CBI by December 20."
Asked about the police failure to arrest the culprits even after 75 days of the crime, Dhindsa, who is also eyeing to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections from here, said, "We can't call it a police failure as, sometimes, culprits commit the crime after much planning and do not leave any clue and the case becomes complicated."
Vidhu's father Navneet Jain said, "Dhindsa has assured us that the case will be handed over to the CBI in a day or two. Now we are hopeful that the CBI will bring out the truth and arrest the culprits."
He, however, accused the police of not taking this issue seriously, saying, "Despite our repeated visits to the police they have done nothing in the case during the last two and a half months, the delay may prove costly to trace out the culprits and they may destroy the proofs against them."
The political stalwarts of the region are, however, now taking credit for this turn in the case, but the victim's family said they had been running from pillar to post demanding handing over of the case to the CBI.
{{/usCountry}}The political stalwarts of the region are, however, now taking credit for this turn in the case, but the victim's family said they had been running from pillar to post demanding handing over of the case to the CBI.
{{/usCountry}}"We had to make all possible efforts to get our demand for a CBI probe accepted, but now we will wait eagerly when the CBI starts its probe", says Vidhu's uncle Prem Jain.
However, Mandeep Singh Sidhu, Senior Superintendent of Police, could not be contacted for comment.
The case
Vidhu Jain, 11, was on way to his brother's school to drop his lunch box that he had forgotten home. In an unexpected turn, suspects had kidnapped the boy and then poured petrol on his body before setting afire. He was shifted to a local hospital with 100% burns where he died.
The incident took place at around noon on September 30. The crime, sources had said, could have been committed for ransom. The family of the boy runs a departmental store.