New Delhi:
There is growing anger on the streets of the national capital over the savage rape of a five-year-old girl, who was kidnapped, mutilated and left to die by her 22-year-old neighbour.
Delhi is shaken, anguished and very angry not just over the unspeakable brutality inflicted on the girl, but also due to the role of the police after the father of the five-year-old alleged that that not only were the police unable to find his daughter for three days, but that when she was rescued by neighbours, the cops offered him Rs. 2000 to buy his silence. He was allegedly told to be grateful that his daughter was still alive.
Pressure is also mounting on the police after Assistant Commissioner of Police BS Ahlawat was on Friday caught on camera slapping a woman protester, who was demanding justice for the girl. While the ACP has been suspended, since then many have been demanding that he be arrested and prosecuted for his brazen show of strength. Protesters are scheduled to gather at the India Gate later this evening to demand his arrest.
Most of the protests this weekend have been against the insensitivity of the Delhi Police. Yesterday, many protesters gathered outside the Delhi Police Headquarters and demanded the resignation of Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar.
Former top cop and now social activist Kiran Bedi today slammed the Delhi government over the rape case and held the big four of the Delhi administration accountable.
"Delhi needs a whole-change of team! Lieutenant Governor, CM, Chief Secretary, Commissioner of Police! All Four! Not one but all Four!They are collectively accountable for d city!" she tweeted.
"Delhi Police lost Trust of d people over years of statistical+opaque policing.It got away then,but no more!They must change," she said in another tweet.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old man who brutally raped and mutilated the five-year-old will be produced in a Delhi court today. Manoj Kumar, who had fled to his hometown in Bihar, was apprehended from the Muzaffarpur district and brought to Delhi yesterday and questioned.
The police say Manoj had fled to his hometown in Bihar thinking the little girl had died.
The girl is currently conscious, stable and alert, according to the doctors treating her at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.