REETI PRIYA
Ranchi, Aug 29: Rekha Sharma, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women on Monday directed Jharkhand DGP Neeraj Sinha for action taken reports regarding brutal murder of Ankita in Dumka by the accused Shahrukh.
“Since arrest has already been made, we asked the Jharkhand DGP for action taken report. There is a mindset that you forcefully ask a woman to marry you and if she refuses, set her ablaze. It is pathetic. There should be conversation on this,” said the NCW chief.
The incident has shocked the political class alike as spontaneous protests were observed across Jharkhand and the incident made a headline in the national media.
The BJP-led opposition lambasted Chief Minister Hemant Soren for not being sensitive to the issue of women safety. Former chief minister and BJP leader Babulal Marandi said that the CM was so busy enjoying his picnic party that he had no time to save this girl. He further said that while the state government can arrange an air ambulance for riot accused, no such facility was provided to airlift Ankita to AIIMS in Delhi.
Babulal Marandi accused DSP Noor Mustafa for protecting the accused Shahrukh. He is also set to meet the family of the victim in Dumka.
Embarrassed over public criticism and regular punching by the Opposition, Chief Minister Hemant Soren later gave a public statement. He said that action would be taken against the accused and the state government will determine to ensure justice to Ankita.
“Such people should not be forgiven, they should be given the strictest of punishments. Laws should be brought in to further strengthen the existing laws for such incidents,” the CM said.
Meanwhile, a video of the arrested accused smiling in police custody has surfaced online. As he was led to a police car while being handcuffed, the accused, Shahrukh, was observed casually smiling.
In an effort to preserve law and order amid widespread rallies demanding justice for the deceased, the district administration has implemented Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which forbids the meeting of four or more individuals in the affected area.
Notably, the incident happened on August 23 in Dumka town when the suspect doused the woman in petrol from outside the window of her bedroom while she was asleep, setting her ablaze.
The victim, a 12th-grade student, was initially brought into Dumka’s Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital in critical condition with 90% burns. Later, she was advised to seek better care at Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS).
