VISHVENDU JAIPURIAR
Hazaribag, Oct 7: The grave of 20-year-old Puja Kumari in the densely populated Napokhurd mohalla in the Barkagaon block in the district is causing fear among the locals who want the body properly cremated.
So far, all efforts of the local administration have failed to convince Puja’s parents who want respect for their daughter through the cremation of the body by her in-laws who are at large.
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Puja was shot dead by her husband Shashi Kumar on September 27 after a quarrel between the duo. As the news about her murder came to the knowledge of her parents, Puja’s in-laws’ house was damaged and set ablaze. Even Puja’s dead body was buried there in a grave and the date of her death was written above.
Officer-in-charge of Barkagaon, Vinod Tirkey, said efforts are still on to convince her parents to take out the body from the grave for proper cremation.
Puja’s father Rinku Saw said, “The police want the removal of the body from there. But we are not ready to do so. They had not only killed my daughter but also killed her all dreams. She was pregnant and what her husband and her in-laws did is a sin.”
“We will allow proper cremation but it should be done by her in-laws and not by us. It’s her right and she should get that respect now,” he demanded.
Saw said police has arrested Puja’s husband Shashi who admitted to killing her. “Arrest her in-laws too and allow them to do her last rites first before sending them to jail. I gave them my daughter but what they did do for Rs 6 lakh? They killed her and are now not even ready to do her last rite,” he added.
Police officials on condition of anonymity said they are working, in this case, to take out the body from here in presence of a magistrate.
A resident said the grave in their locality is causing fear among everyone residing here. “It’s not right and so we want immediate action whether by convincing her parents or forcefully. After all, we have to live here,” he added.
