New Delhi, Apr 3: A three-member panel of the National Commission for Women (NCW) probing the alleged killing of a 12-year-old girl in an “occult ritual” in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh district visited the site on Friday and met the victim’s family, locals and neighbours.
The NCW panel, however, said they are yet to be given key documents related to the incident.
The committee, comprising Mamta Kumari, Manmohan Verma and Kanchan, also interacted with the grandchildren of a 70-year-old ‘tantrik’ (occult practitioner) who is an accused in the case. Two other, including the girl’s mother, have also been arrested in the case.
“Local administration did not facilitate meetings with IO/SHO or accused persons (citing judicial custody). The police failed to provide key documents,” the NCW said in a post on X.
The committee later met the district superintendent and deputy commissioner of police and directed them to urgently furnish all relevant documents, following which further course of action would be decided, the commission said.
Police have arrested Reshmi Devi, the 35-year-old mother of the girl who was killed during the sacrificial ritual, a 55-year-old occult practitioner, Shanti Devi, and one Bhim Ram (40) from Kusumbha village, an officer said on Wednesday.
Hazaribagh Superintendent of Police Anjani Anjan and Hazaribagh DIG Anjani Jha announced the arrests in a press conference.
Anjan said that Reshmi Devi often visited a ‘tantrik’ in her village for the treatment of her youngest son, who suffers from some illness.
“The occult practitioner told the mother that they needed to sacrifice a virgin girl to cure the son of all ailments,” he said.
The officer said that on March 24, the night of ‘ashtami’, when the entire village was immersed in festivities related to the Mangla Julus (a Ram Navami procession), the girl was strangled at the house of Shanti Devi, allegedly by her own mother and Bhim Ram.
After killing her, they buried the girl’s body in the garden, he added.
Anjan said the three accused tried to mislead the investigation by claiming she was abducted and her body was later found in a field.
Bhim Ram also faces allegations of murdering his sister-in-law and another individual, Anjan added.
