Azamgarh:
Three years after his death, all that remains of Chukkan Nishad's body is a skeleton that lies on the terrace of a police station in Ahraula Village waiting to be cremated.
The 22-year-old had gone missing in 2007. A few days later, a body was found in the sugarcane field close to the village. Chukkan's family identified it as his. But the police insisted on a DNA test to verify their claim. Now, all that is left him are his bones - the DNA test still not conducted.
Sadharan Nishad, Chukkan's father says, "We found our son's slippers, his hair and other identifiers, they (the police) took everything away. Even after that they didn't say anything. When we went to pick up the skeleton, they told us they were still investigating, doing this and doing that."
Caught in the struggle to give their son a clean burial the family has not even mourned his death.
"We are so worried ourselves. If they gave us the skeletal remains, we could start performing his last rites. Till that is not done, his soul will not rest in peace," says Chukkan's father.
The police's answer is that the government has not sanctioned the money needed for the DNA test. An inquiry has been ordered into the delay which means that Chukkan's cremation will be postponed further.
The 22-year-old had gone missing in 2007. A few days later, a body was found in the sugarcane field close to the village. Chukkan's family identified it as his. But the police insisted on a DNA test to verify their claim. Now, all that is left him are his bones - the DNA test still not conducted.
Sadharan Nishad, Chukkan's father says, "We found our son's slippers, his hair and other identifiers, they (the police) took everything away. Even after that they didn't say anything. When we went to pick up the skeleton, they told us they were still investigating, doing this and doing that."
Caught in the struggle to give their son a clean burial the family has not even mourned his death.
"We are so worried ourselves. If they gave us the skeletal remains, we could start performing his last rites. Till that is not done, his soul will not rest in peace," says Chukkan's father.
The police's answer is that the government has not sanctioned the money needed for the DNA test. An inquiry has been ordered into the delay which means that Chukkan's cremation will be postponed further.
