Opposition targets HM Amit Shah after Dalit minor raped in Delhi

A nine-year-old Dalit girl died under suspicious circumstances with her parents alleging that she was raped and forcefully cremated by a priest in south-west Delhi, triggering criticism from Opposition parties against Delhi Police and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The incident was reported from Old Nangal village on Sunday evening and it came to light when police received a call at around 10:30 pm regarding the rape and death of the minor girl.

After recording the statement of the victim's mother, police have added rape charges in the FIR and arrested four persons, including the priest.

According to police, the girl had gone to get cold water from a cooler at the crematorium after informing her mother at around 5:30 pm on Sunday. Half an hour later, they claimed, the priest Radhey Shyam called the family and informed them that she got electrocuted while getting water from the cooler.

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The priest along with others showed the mother the girl's body. There were burn marks between her left wrist and elbow while her lips were also blue, PTI reported.

The priest along with his associates persuaded her mother against calling the police saying that doctors will steal the girl's organs during postmortem and it was better to cremate her, police said. The girl was cremated but later the woman and her husband claimed there was some foul play.

Police said a preliminary forensic examination showed that there were signs of electrocution. Prima facie, they claimed, a heavy flow of current was observed from the cooler, the official said.

The police also went to the spot where the victim was cremated. It was examined and tooth, fractured particles of her skull, along with parts below the ankle were recovered. These were handed over to police which will submit the samples at the lab for further examination, according to the official.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "the daughter of a Dalit is also the daughter of the country."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi said the incident was "painful and condemnable". "Think what must be going on for his family? The Home Minister, who is responsible for law and order in Delhi, has gone to distribute the UP certificate, but is unable to handle his own responsibility. From Hathras to Nangal: There is Jungle Raj," she tweeted.

Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said the girl was allegedly raped and forcibly cremated in the national capital, "right under the watch of Mr Amit Shah. The harrowing experiences faced by our women and girls and members from the SC community on a daily basis, show just how insensitive the Home Minister is".