Akhilesh Yadav met the traumatized sisters and promised them all possible help.
Bulandshahr:
Two months ago, 15-year-old Latika and her younger sister Tanya watched their mother being set on fire by their relatives in Bulandshahr, for not being able to bear a son. As the two of them tried to douse the fire, their father stood by and watched, the sisters say.
Three days ago, Latika wrote to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav - using her own blood as ink. "It did hurt a lot when I cut my finger, but it is absolutely nothing compared to what my mother went through while burning to death," she told NDTV.
Today, the Chief Minister granted an audience to the traumatized sisters and their family - promising them all possible help.
On June 14, Anu Bansal was allegedly set on fire by 8 of her in-laws, including her husband Manoj. She died in hospital six days later. Their mother, the girls say, had to endure mental and physical torture for years for not having a son.
As the investigation became twisted - turned into a case of suicide instead of murder - the sisters said they decided to seek justice from the Chief Minister. Latika sent two letters to Mr Yadav, but she received no reply.
"I thought that if in all these days the Chief Minister hadn't read all my letters in ink, maybe this time if I write in blood he may notice," Latika said.
The police have arrested Latika's father Manoj -- on charges of abetment to suicide. The charges against the remaining seven have been dropped. "The arrest was made under pressure. The rest of his family is missing," said Tarun, her maternal uncle.
"We will look into the lapses (in investigation)," said Anish Ansari, the chief of Bulandshahr police, who had met Latika yesterday on the orders of the Chief Minister.
The Class 11 student said she had decided to become a police officer to improve the system that has so far denied justice to her mother. The state will bear the cost of the girls' studies, the Chief Minister has said.
Three days ago, Latika wrote to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav - using her own blood as ink. "It did hurt a lot when I cut my finger, but it is absolutely nothing compared to what my mother went through while burning to death," she told NDTV.
Today, the Chief Minister granted an audience to the traumatized sisters and their family - promising them all possible help.
On June 14, Anu Bansal was allegedly set on fire by 8 of her in-laws, including her husband Manoj. She died in hospital six days later. Their mother, the girls say, had to endure mental and physical torture for years for not having a son.
As the investigation became twisted - turned into a case of suicide instead of murder - the sisters said they decided to seek justice from the Chief Minister. Latika sent two letters to Mr Yadav, but she received no reply.
"I thought that if in all these days the Chief Minister hadn't read all my letters in ink, maybe this time if I write in blood he may notice," Latika said.
The police have arrested Latika's father Manoj -- on charges of abetment to suicide. The charges against the remaining seven have been dropped. "The arrest was made under pressure. The rest of his family is missing," said Tarun, her maternal uncle.
"We will look into the lapses (in investigation)," said Anish Ansari, the chief of Bulandshahr police, who had met Latika yesterday on the orders of the Chief Minister.
The Class 11 student said she had decided to become a police officer to improve the system that has so far denied justice to her mother. The state will bear the cost of the girls' studies, the Chief Minister has said.
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