Big and mighty behind my daughter’s murder: Father

SHIMLA: “I do not know who the real culprits are, but I know one thing for sure that it’s not the poor labourers but some big landlords who are responsible for my daughter’s torturous death,” says Keshav Ram, father of the 16-year-old Kotkhai girl whose body was found in the Halaila forest area on July 6.

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 21

“I do not know who the real culprits are, but I know one thing for sure that it’s not the poor labourers but some big landlords who are responsible for my daughter’s torturous death,” says Keshav Ram, father of the 16-year-old Kotkhai girl whose body was found in the Halaila forest area on July 6.

Having performed her last rites yesterday, the victim’s parents, her four married sisters and younger brother are trying to come to terms with the tragedy. “I have no faith in the police. I only want to appeal to the CBI and the media to help us secure justice for our daughter so that the culprits are hanged,” Keshav says. Attempts are being made to hush up the case, he alleges.

“I cannot sleep a wink ever since I saw my niece’s body lying in the forest. I will not be able to live in peace till the culprits are punished,” say Devi Ram, maternal uncle of the victim. He was the first one to spot the body.

“Before leaving for her school on July 4, she told me that she might stay over with her maternal uncle at Banogra Koti village as tournaments were on. Little did I know that these will be her last words to me,” says the victim’s mother Krishna Devi.

“We fail to understand why pictures of four youths were posted on Facebook and then suddenly removed. Later, five new names figured in the case, followed by their arrest,” says victim’s paternal uncle Rajinder.

“My one daughter dropped out of school, while the one who wanted to study is no more. My son Aman, a Class X student, refuses to go back to the same school where his deceased sister studied. We might have to shift him to Shimla,” says victim’s hapless father, a BPL farmer.

The family says the protests and demands for justice for their daughter by political parties and other organisations holds no meaning to the family whose agony and pain is too much for anybody to comprehend. Keshav still breaks down every now and then remembering his daughter’s words that she would make him proud by being successful in life.

‘HAVE LOST FAITH IN POLICE’

It’s not the poor labourers but some big landlords who are responsible for my daughter’s death. I have no faith in the police. I only want to appeal to the CBI and the media to help us secure justice for our daughter so that the culprits are hanged. —Keshav Ram, gudia’s father