MP: NCPCR chief claims police registered weak FIR in minor suicide case, instructs higher level officials to conduct probe

Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 3 (ANI): National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) Chairman Priyank Kanoongo has claimed that the local police registered a weak FIR in the suicide case of a minor, who ended her life after being troubled by molestation in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district.

He instructed that the investigation into the matter should be done by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) or higher level officers.

Notably, a minor girl studying in class 12 had committed suicide after being troubled of molestation in Lateri town in the district on Sunday (July 30). On the next day, after performing the last rite of the girl, the family had pasted a poster of ‘house on sale’ on their house wall after which the incident hit the headlines.

When the NCPCR chairman came to know about the matter, he visited there and met with the family members, police and the other persons concerned on Wednesday. 

“We had received information that a girl child committed suicide after being harassed by molestation in Latteri town in Vidisha district in Madhya Pradesh and her relatives did not have faith in the action of the police and administration in the matter. Therefore I came here today for a fact-finding investigation of the matter along with counsellors of the Commission,” Kanoongo said.

“We spoke to the victim’s parents, her siblings, the investigating officer probing the case, all other officers concerned and the doctor who performed the postmortem. The main issues that come to light in the matter is that the FIR registered by the police is weak. Police have not mentioned the sections of POCSO act in the FIR which is serious negligence,” NCPCR chairman said.

He added that they had also received a complaint that after the incident, when the FIR was not registered till evening, the locals staged a protest. During this, cases were filed against some youths, including minors. The commission talked to the minor child who claimed that he was not involved in the incident and his name was wrongly mentioned in it.

“We have instructed SDOP (Sub-Divisional Officer of Police) that investigation into the matter should be done by at least DSP level or higher level officers,” he further said.

Besides, the victim’s father said that the family members and relatives of the accused Aamir, who live in his neighbourhood, encroached on his land. The commission confirmed this with the SDM, the Tehsildar and instructed them to get back the rights of the victim’s family on their land, Kanoongo added.