Family seeks death penalty for the accused

BHOPAL: A day after the 9-year-old girl was found dead, her family members are in a state of shock and grief. And so are the residents of the slum. It is hard to believe that the girl, who played in the narrow lanes in front of their houses was brutally raped and murdered, they said.
The minor’s parents recalled that the girl had dinner with them after which her father and maternal grandmother sent her for buying gutkha from a nearby grocery shop.She left the gutkha on the cooler and went back — never to return.
Her mother told TOI that a policemen discreetly showed her and her daughter bangles found from house of accused. She identified them that they belonged to the victim which she purchased on Eid. Then police confirmed that the girl was murdered by Vishnu Prasad.
The minor’s father who works as a scrap dealer, told TOI, “I go to colonies by my bicycle daily and buy scrap from houses. I was raising my family with great difficulty yet I admitted the Victim to a private school so that she can study and become something in life. She was good at studies but could appear in only one paper of class 2 final exam as I could not submit her school fees. She was a good student. She was my youngest daughter among five girls. My three daughters were married. My family was already suffering after my son’s death last year at an age of 12. He suffered a disease and could not recover. I demand quick trial and stern punishment for the accused.”
Her mother is unconsolable. “Accused Vishnu Prasad moved into the neighbouring house with his mother around three months back near Holi festival. His sister and brother-in-law too reside in the area in a separate house. His mother used to reside with her daughter also. Only a thin wall separates their house from shanty. I could not have imagined in my dreams that he raped and murdered my daughter. He never spoke to us or our daughter. Only his mother used to talk to us when she sat outside her house. We had no clue when our daughter was murdered and raped in adjoining house. I demand that the accused should ordered to be hanged till death,” she said.
The girl’s maternal grandmother said, “When we approached police to file complaint at first we were sent back. Later when the local corporator intervened, cops came to our house and said that the girl must have eloped with someone. He told me, ‘Nani picture nahi dekhti kya.’ I think he was drunk at that time.”
Vishal, who runs a grocery shop in near the Victim’s house said, “The Victim came to my shop twice around 8 pm on Saturday to purchase gutkha pouches for her maternal grandmother and father. She used to play in the narrow lanes of the area. No one can believe such horrific crime can take place with her.