Girl found dead inside suitcase in northeast Delhi; family alleges sexual assault, stages protest
New Delhi (PTI): A nine-year-old girl was found stuffed in a suitcase at a neighbour's house in northeast Delhi's Dayalpur area, triggering protests by family members and locals who alleged sexual assault and murder of the minor.
Police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in the area on Sunday to maintain law and order.
Police sources said the perpetrator seems to have fled after stuffing her in a suitcase. Senior officials of the Delhi Police said all angles are being probed, including sexual assault.
"We are awaiting the autopsy report to confirm the cause of death. Teams have been formed to nab the absconding accused. We are taking this matter with utmost seriousness," a police officer said.
The child, a resident of Nehru Vihar, had gone to give ice to a relative living nearby around 7 pm, her family said.
When she did not return home for a long time, her parents began searching for her. According to the victim's father, they approached several relatives and neighbours, but no one had seen her after her brief visit to one relative's house.
"She had only gone to deliver some ice to our relatives. They said she stayed for five minutes and left. But she never came back. We looked everywhere. Finally, someone told us she was seen entering a house nearby. That's where we found her in a suitcase," he said.
The girl's father alleged that when he reached the house, it was locked. Suspecting something was wrong, he broke the lock and entered the room.
Inside, he found his daughter stuffed in a bloodstained suitcase. They rushed her to a local clinic, but the doctor asked them to take her to a hospital immediately. At Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital in Shastri Park, doctors declared her brought dead, the father said.
A PCR call reporting the incident was received at Dayalpur police station around 8.41 pm, police said.
A police team was immediately dispatched to Gali No. 2, Nehru Vihar, where they learned that the girl had already been taken to Jag Pravesh Chandra (JPC) Hospital by her father, a senior police officer said.
Hospital authorities informed the police that the girl was declared dead.
"Prima facie, doctors observed visible injuries on her face and have indicated possible sexual assault," a senior police officer said.
Following the incident, crime scene and forensic science laboratory (FSL) teams were called to inspect the spot and collect evidence. Police said they are working to identify and apprehend the perpetrator.
A case has been registered at Dayalpur Police Station under relevant sections of the BNS, along with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
"Multiple teams have been deployed to collect clues and trace the accused. The investigation is being done on priority," the officer added.
The incident sparked massive outrage in the neighbourhood. Soon after news of the girl's death spread, hundreds of residents, including the girl's relatives, blocked a nearby road and sat on dharna demanding justice.
The protestors raised slogans against the police, alleging negligence, and demanded the immediate arrest of the culprit.
Several shopkeepers were forced to shut down their establishments due to the tension in the area. Many of them said they were afraid of violence and chose to shut down shutters after protesters began marching through the market lanes.
With the situation getting tense, a heavy police force was deployed in Nehru Vihar and adjoining areas to maintain law and order. Later, paramilitary personnel were also called in as a precautionary measure.
Senior police officers were seen trying to pacify the crowd and reassure the family that strict action would be taken in the case.
Traffic movement in the Dayalpur area was severely affected, with commuters stuck for hours. Vehicles were seen taking alternate routes, and several emergency services faced delays due to the road blockade.
The victim's mother was seen inconsolable and in a state of deep shock. "She was crying and screaming 'bring back my daughter...'," a neighbour said, holding back tears.
The victim's father said he was devastated and demanded justice. "We got to know about what happened very late. The police came around 1 am and collected evidence from the house. But the main accused is still roaming free. I will not rest until he is punished," he said.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
ALSO READ: Cong candidate who moved Kerala HC for name reinstatement in voter list, wins
Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
