Who killed Divya Singh?

Divya’s mother Sonu Singh Bhadoria too has questioned this claim,saying she trusted Lodhi and would often ask him to baby-sit her children while she was away at work.

A resident of Roshan Nagar area of Kanpur,Divya had died on September 27,after she was sent home from school almost unconscious and bleeding excessively. The maid of the school,Gyan Sthali,left her on a cot outside her house,which was locked as Sonu,who worked as a security guard in a mall,was on duty. She rushed home on being informed by the neighbours,and took Divya to a hospital,but the girl died. Divya’s blood-stained uniform was found stuffed in her schoolbag.

A police team that went to the school to investigate found three benches in a classroom joined together with blood stains on them and on the ground. Blood stains and cotton drenched in blood were also found in the school toilet. The school building was immediately sealed.

With Sonu accusing the police of deliberately delaying action against the school authorities,the Kalyanpur police on September 30 arrested owner Verma and his elder son Sudhir Kumar. On October 6,they arrested 39-year-old Lodhi and claimed that the case had been solved. Lodhi told the police that he had gone away to his village on September 24 as it was flooded,to help his family,and that he had raped Divya on September 20.

Talking to mediapersons,he said: “After two unsuccessful attempts on September 12 and September 15,I raped her on September 20.” He denied sodomy or forcing any object into her body,or that anyone else was involved. However,he admitted that Divya had started bleeding after the assault,and that he had purchased a medicine on the advice of an employee of a medical store in the Roshan Nagar area. Asked why Divya didn’t tell her mother about the rape,Lodhi said he was surprised.

Lodhi,who is a labourer in a biscuit factory and earns Rs 2,500 a month,is married and is the father of three minor children.

Sonu believes the police are framing Lodhi to help the school authorities escape the blame. She and Lodhi are both tenants in a two-storey house in Roshan Nagar area,and he has been staying in the same room on the first floor for 20 years. Sonu lived with her daughters on the ground floor. There are 10 tenants in the house.

The school manager has denied the involvement of his family. Talking to mediapersons at the Kalyanpur Police Station on September 30,Verma said: “Neither I nor my two sons were present on the school premises when the incident was reported.” He claimed that he was informed by Principal Sunita Mishra that Divya had vomited and was bleeding,and that he had directed that the girl be dropped home.

Sonu claims that initially,some policemen tried to pressure her to make a compromise with the school authorities. “A police officer offered me Rs 5 lakh,” she said. “Lodhi is innocent,and the police team arrested him to make things easier for Verma.”

The arrest of Verma’s second son on October 15,however,makes Sonu believe that the probe is finally moving in the right direction. “The arrest will unveil several mysteries,” she says.

Denying charges of trying to protect the school,Deputy Inspector General,Kanpur,Prem Prakash says: “If the family members are not satisfied,we are willing to shift the investigation to a different police circle.”