Days after the horrific murder of the two-and-a-half-year-old girl in Aligarh’s Tappal township that has triggered massive outrage across India with political leaders and celebrities venting out their anger and disgust over the brutal killing, Aligarh remained tense on Sunday.
As a precautionary measure, the district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC denied permission to Hindutva leader Sadhvi Prachi to visit the home of the victim on Sunday. “She was stopped at the border in view of the prevailing situation at Tappal,” Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police Akash Kulhari told PTI.
The SSP said the district administration is trying its best to maintain law and order. “The girl who was murdered belongs to the Hindu community, while the accused are from the Muslim community and to avoid any kind of communal flare up, personnel have been deployed,” Kulhari said, adding, police will deal with a heavy hand any attempt to disturb peace in the area.
On Sunday, the police used mild force to disperse an angry crowd gathered in Aligarh to demand justice for the girl. Four persons have so far been arrested in the case, police said.
Police had on Saturday evening thwarted an attempt by some protesters, carrying effigies of the accused, from entering the locality housing the families of the accused and the victim.
The body of the girl was found in a garbage dump on June 2, three days after she was reported missing. A case was registered against the main accused identified as Zahid (27). He was arrested on June 4. Shagufta (32) and Mehndi Hasan, the wife and brother of Zahid, were arrested on June 8.
Police had also arrested Aslam, 43, on June 4. He was earlier charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) in 2014 and 2017. He also faced charges under Uttar Pradesh’s Goonda Act.
Meanwhile, reports said family members of the accused have abandoned their houses after the incident came to the fore. They said other families in the neighbourhood belonging to the minority community have also moved out fearing for their lives. SSP Kulhari, however, rejected such reports. He said reports of migration from the region were without any substance.
Tension had prevailed in the area after the victim’s family alleged that police officials delayed the registration of their complaint and the investigation. Five policemen have been suspended for negligence and Kulhari on Friday assured locals that justice would be done in the case.
Candlelight protests over the murder were held in Aligarh city. Teachers and students at Aligarh Muslim University have demanded “exemplary and prompt” punishment for the perpetrators.