The kidnapping and murder case of 13-year-old boy Ukarsh in East Delhi’s Gandhi Nagar area has sent a shock wave among the residents who allege the lack of police presence and cooperation in the area. The residents even staged a protest at the Jheel Chowk demanding action against the police officials. The residents claimed that neither are the police officials present in the area nor do they cooperate when called in times of need. The family had shifted to the new house around six months back only.
The parents of the child —Mukesh and Mamta — were in no position to speak. They fainted as the child’s body arrived. His sister, who had just arrived from the US, could hardly spend time with him as the first night she reached Utkarsh went to bed and the next day he was kidnapped and then murdered.
The relatives of the boy and neighbours were completely desolated and were in no position to express the loss. “Mukesh called me at 4.18pm and informed that Utkarsh had gone missing. I reached his house and also called the Station House Officer of Gandhi Nagar police station who then reached the house with his team. People have lost faith in the police officers and it’s a huge gap now which is not being able to get filled. In this case the police did reach and worked but the perception has not changed,” said Anil Vajpayee, close friend of Mukesh.
Agitated by the incident the traders in the area have decided to keep their shops closed as a mark of protest until the Station House Officer (SHO) of Gandhinagar is not suspended. “There is nothing called patrolling and beat staff in the area. The police officers in the area only extort money and do not do anything. If we reach home alive in the evening then it’s a happy thing for us. Women can’t eve step out,” said a resident.