Law and order collapsed in state, says Hooda after Bhiwani murder

Former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Saturday said the murder of 19-year-old teacher Manisha in Bhiwani had “shaken the entire state” and exposed the collapse of law and order in Haryana.

“We demand immediate arrest of all the culprits and justice for the victim’s family. The culprits should be given the harshest punishment so that no criminal can think of committing such a crime in future,” Hooda told mediapersons in Bahadurgarh.

He said the case had triggered concerns about women’s safety across the state. “After the Manisha murder case, everyone is worried about the safety of their sisters and daughters, because in this crime the brutality of the culprits and also the failure of the law and order system was clearly visible,” he said.

The Congress leader alleged negligence on part of the police, claiming that the authorities ignored the initial complaint when Manisha went missing.

“Despite receiving the complaint, the police did not try to find Manisha. If they had woken up in time, the daughter’s life could have been saved,” he said.

Hooda alleged that the police had lost accountability because of political interference.

“This did not happen because the police administration knows that those in power today have nothing to do with public safety. The people in power are only concerned with their own safety, power pleasure and event planning. They do not see the condition of law and order in the state,” he said.

The former CM said crimes in Haryana were rising unchecked.

“There has been a record increase in crimes against women in the state. Every day, people are murdered, women are raped and kidnappings take place. The NCRB figures reveal this every time, but the government ignores them and continues to sleep intoxicated with power. This attitude is proving to be a threat to the life and property of the common people,” Hooda added.