Lalit Kumar, TNN | Jul 9, 2011, 06.05am IST
MEERUT: In a country where the girl child is killed in the womb or throttled after birth, this is another shocker. This time from the badlands of Meerut, where a girl was allegedly burnt alive by her family members after she refused to marry according to their wishes. Puja had objected to marrying the boy chosen by her father. The murder has sent shockwaves through the village in Hasanpur Kalan, a day before wedding bells were about to toll.
And before she was set ablaze, the girl was forced to drink large quantities of a de-worming liquid used for cattle. Then her father and brother dragged her out of the house and forcibly pushed her underneath a cow dung mound and set it on fire. The girl's cries were muzzled by the crackling flames and the weight of the dung pile. And shocked villagers remained mute spectators to the macabre dance of death. The police, however, claimed the girl had died of consuming cattle de-worming syrup.
While the girl's brother has been arrested, the police are looking for father Iqbal Singh, who fled after the crime. Singh had arranged the marriage of both his daughters, which was to be solemnized on Friday.
"On Thursday night, the younger daughter said she would not like to get married soon. At this, Singh and his son Rahul assaulted her. A few hours later, Singh and his son dragged her to the large mound of cow dung patties. She was shoved underneath and set ablaze," a police official said.
Scores of villagers, who were jolted by the commotion and rushed out, made no attempt to stop Iqbal. Cow dung patties burn slowly, and the fire may have lasted for several hours, a policeman said.
Asked if the cops will arrest these mute spectators to the murder, he said: "They can be arrested for destruction of evidence. But it's difficult to track down villagers who supported the grisly act."
And before she was set ablaze, the girl was forced to drink large quantities of a de-worming liquid used for cattle. Then her father and brother dragged her out of the house and forcibly pushed her underneath a cow dung mound and set it on fire. The girl's cries were muzzled by the crackling flames and the weight of the dung pile. And shocked villagers remained mute spectators to the macabre dance of death. The police, however, claimed the girl had died of consuming cattle de-worming syrup.
While the girl's brother has been arrested, the police are looking for father Iqbal Singh, who fled after the crime. Singh had arranged the marriage of both his daughters, which was to be solemnized on Friday.
"On Thursday night, the younger daughter said she would not like to get married soon. At this, Singh and his son Rahul assaulted her. A few hours later, Singh and his son dragged her to the large mound of cow dung patties. She was shoved underneath and set ablaze," a police official said.
Scores of villagers, who were jolted by the commotion and rushed out, made no attempt to stop Iqbal. Cow dung patties burn slowly, and the fire may have lasted for several hours, a policeman said.
Asked if the cops will arrest these mute spectators to the murder, he said: "They can be arrested for destruction of evidence. But it's difficult to track down villagers who supported the grisly act."
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