Nagpur: Postmortem says accused in child abuse case died of mob beating; culpable homicide case filed

The preliminary postmortem report has found that the death of a young man accused of abusing a nine-year-old girl in Nagpur was caused by the beating he received from a crowd. The report has caused a stir in the city police force. Pardi police have registered a case of culpable homicide and started an investigation, and senior officers were questioning the circumstances at Pardi police station late into the night.

The incident took place on the night of October 5 within the limits of Pardi police station. An entertainment programme had been organised in a locality, and the nine-year-old girl had gone there. The accused, 35-year-old Narayandas, told her that her parents had asked her to go to his house for half an hour. The girl refused, saying her parents had told her not to go with strangers. Narayandas allegedly lured her with money and took her to his house.

There, the accused is said to have committed an obscene act with the girl. She bit his hand and ran out. She told people what had happened. The people gathered there then beat Narayandas. Pardi police reached the spot on receiving information and took him to Mayo Hospital, where he died on the afternoon of October 6.

His body was subjected to a postmortem today. According to the preliminary report, 28 injuries were found on Narayandas's body. It also showed internal injuries, and the beating caused fractures at several places. He was said to have died of these injuries. On this basis, Pardi police have registered a case of culpable homicide against eight to ten people.

The case has raised serious questions. Crimes against young girls have caused intense anger among residents. Residents say that however strict the law is made, girls continue to fall victim, and that accused persons get out some time after being arrested, which is why people do not hesitate to take the law into their own hands. The situation is worse in densely populated labourers' settlements, and the area of the latest incident is a settlement of labourers and ordinary working people.

A similar incident had occurred earlier. On September 29, within the limits of Beltarodi police station, residents beat Sumedh Gajbhiye on the allegation that he had entered a house and robbed a mangalsutra. His accomplice, Deepak Patil, escaped and fled. Sumedh died during treatment. His postmortem report had revealed that he died of a heart attack.