BJP delegation meets family of Jharkhand girl set ablaze, offers financial assistance

Dumka (Jharkhand) [India], September 1 (ANI): A BJP delegation comprising Nishikant Dubey, Manoj Tiwari and Kapil Mishra on Wednesday met with the family of the Class 12 girl who died days after she was set on fire by a man in Jharkhand's Dumka.
Dubey, who is MP from the Godda constituency on Wednesday said that the party has decided to extend monetary assistance to the family. The delegation handed over a sum of Rs 28 lakh to the family.
"We got information about the incident from Dumka's daughter Ankita's father, grandparents, sister, brother and family members. The intention of saving the criminals of the Soren family will not succeed," Dubey tweeted in Hindi.
Speaking to the media, BJP leader Kapil Mishra termed the death of the girl as a "preplanned murder" and demanded that the authorities probe the matter from a "love jihad angle."
"Who is the mastermind? Who is the one who trained him? Doing such a thing without training is not possible. It is a pre-planned murder. There should be an investigation from the love jihad angle. Those who are trying to cover up the incident are committing the mistake of doing appeasement," Mishra said.
He also hit out at Chief Minister Hemant Soren for not sending any of his representatives to meet the family of the deceased girl and alleged that the government was "trying to cover up the incident".
"The elected government is trying to cover up the incident. The local MLA is nowhere to be seen. Louis Marandi has been standing with the family since day 1. Nishikant Dubey, and Manoj Tiwari have come from Delhi. Why is the chief minister not visiting the family? Questions are being raised on the DSP, why has he not been removed yet? These are very serious questions," Mishra said.
Manoj Tiwari who was also a part of the BJP delegation demanded the "strictest" punishment for the culprits.
"We spoke to the deceased girl's family members. We have been able to give financial assistance of Rs 28 lakh to the family. I am surprised that not a single representative of the Jharkhand government came here. How would they extend help who cannot even stand here? The strictest punishment should be given to the culprits. The incident might have taken place in a small place like Dumka but it seems to have long connections," he said.
Meanwhile, the Jharkhand Police has added sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act after a recommendation by the Jharkhand Child Welfare Committee.
The committee had made the recommendation after it found out in its probe that the girl was a minor as per her Class 10 board examination mark sheet and not an adult as claimed by the police.
"The Jharkhand Child Welfare Committee recommends the SP to add sections under POCSO Act in the matter. The Committee found out that the deceased was 15 years old and 19 as mentioned by Police in her recorded statement," the Dumka Public Relations Office said earlier.
A statement by the Dumka PRO said that a Bench of Magistrate, Child Welfare Committee, Dumka, took suo motu cognizance of the alleged murder of the girl.
Speaking to ANI, Dumka CWC chairperson Amarendra Kumar said that the deceased girl's certificates were examined and it showed the girl to be around 15 years old, following which the Superintendant of Police was advised to add the sections of the POCSO Act to the case.
"We took suo motu cognisance. At her home, we examined her certificates and found out that she was 15 years, 9 months old. After this, we advised the SP to add sections of the POCSO Act and take strict action. The Police Station In-charge called us up yesterday and said that suggestion has been added," Kumar said.
"We found out through media that the girl had said she is 19 years old. We don't know what had transpired, the statement was recorded before the Magistrate. So, it's only the Magistrate who can say what the girl said at that time," Kumar added.
Meanwhile, the father of the deceased girl said, "My daughter's age is 16 years, the police might have heard it inaccurately while she was giving statements as she was not in good condition due to her burn injuries. The Police have taken her Aadhaar card and class 10th certificate to correct it." (ANI)