Probe Aruchal girl's death in Guwahati: NGOs

From our Correspondent

Itagar, July 5: Several NGOs took to the streets here on Tuesday demanding immediate arrest of those responsible for the alleged suicide of Liter Bagra in Guwahati on June 14.

Liter, daughter of Toli Bagra based in West Siang district headquarters Aalo, was found dead in her friend’s house in Guwahati. Prelimiry medical reports, family members said, pointed to foul play.

Demanding justice for the victim, members of the Galo Welfare Society, Aruchal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society and other organizations took out a candle light march from Akashdeep to the tennis ground at IG Park.

“After completing her class X examition, Liter was staying in the house of her friend Serong Singlon and her brother Peter Singlon from Karbi Anglong in Assam,” H Nyorak, one of Liter’s relatives said.

Nyorak further said Liter was sharing Serong’s room but was found dead mysteriously in Peter’s room. “There were injury marks on her hand and neck,” he added.

He said the police station concerned (in Guwahati) did not register a case when Liter’s relatives lodged an FIR on June 15. He also accused the police of ignoring the bereaved parents’ request for proper investigation into the alleged suicide.

“Liter was supposed to leave for her hometown on the day she died and sounded happy while speaking to her father on the phone. But when her father called again at 4pm, another person picked up the phone to say she was dead,” Nyorak said.

Liter had been studying in Guwahati’s Exel Public School for the past two years.

Aruchal Pradesh State Commission for Women and Child Chairperson Mitali Tingkhatra, supporting the demand for arrest of the culprits, assured the Bagra family that she would write to the Commission for Protect of Child Rights in Guwahati for free and fair investigation into the incident.

“Why did the police not register the case lodged by the girl’s family members and why did they do so on June 21 only after the higher authorities instructed them to?” Tingkhatra asked.

She added that the Singlon siblings as well as the owner of the house should be interrogated thoroughly so that justice can be delivered to the grieving family.

The participants of the candle light march later observed two-minute silence and prayed for eterl peace of the departed soul.