Main woman accused in Dalit boy ‘suicide’ sent to three-day police custody

Devi, who is a widow and resident of Limbda village, was arrested late on Wednesday hours after her surrender application was turned down by the Court of District and Session Judge Shimla. The Himachal Pradesh High Court also dismissed her interim bail on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a recently formed group, Swarna Samaj, for people belonging to the upper castes in Chirgaon region demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) should investigate the matter.

More than 50 members of the Swarna Samaj were also gathered outside the local court in Rohru, Shimla where the woman accused was produced on Thursday to obtain her police custody. A select group of people were allowed to meet her in the court premises in the presence of police personnel.

“Police are under pressure. The investigation is impartial. We will not allow any injustice to a woman who is innocent. All the facts pertaining to this case not being brought under the purview of the police investigation. We have demanded the formation of a SIT in this case. We will also approach the high court in this connection,” Pawan Negi, founding member of the Swarna Samaj, said.

DSP (Rohru) Pranav Chauhan confirmed that Pushpa Devi was arrested late on Wednesday. “Swarna Samaj has been making a demand for the formation of an SIT. We told them to raise their demands before the senior officers and at the appropriate forum. The investigation is going on,” Chauhan added.

Notably, the Himachal Pradesh Scheduled Castes Commission Chairman Kuldeep Kumar Dhiman had recommended the suspension of the first probe officer ASI Manjeet Singh of the case on Wednesday. The Commission had held a review meeting at Rohru Rest House regarding the death of the minor boy and sought a detailed report from the local administration. An initial FIR of abetment to suicide and wrongful confinement was filed on September 20, three days after the minor’s death. The stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was slapped against the accused Pushpa Devi on September 26. By then, on September 25, she had obtained interim bail from the Himachal Pradesh High Court.