A day after he cancelled his plan and was criticised by political parties, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday visited the family of the two Dalit children who were killed on the intervening night of October 19-20. Swami Agnivesh followed suit, while the police arrested three more persons in the case.
The situation in the village is peaceful but the Dalit women maintained that they felt threatened despite the presence of 500 policemen who have been brought even from Ambala and Gurgaon.
Reaching the village around 12.45 p.m., Mr. Khattar’s cavalcade was confronted by angry Dalits who tried to stop him. As security was tightened, he went to meet Jitender, father of the children, at his residence. “The incident should not be given a political or casteist colour. A CBI probe is going to begin immediately. Action would be taken against policemen if they were found guilty of laxity,” he said.
Doctors said Jitender was dehydrated as he had not eaten much. “He is admitted to a government hospital in Faridabad where he will be checked for infections. He will be kept there for a night,” said a doctor attending on him.
Director-General of Police Y.P. Singal said investigations so far suggested that enmity was the reason for the arson. “Seven out of a total of 11 accused named by the family have been arrested. We are hopeful of arresting the others soon,” Commissioner of Police Subhash Yadav said.
A team of forensic experts visited the house and collected evidence. Police teams also questioned Jitender’s neighbours. “Since the accused had allegedly scaled walls and set the house afire by pouring petrol through the window, we found it essential to question neighbours. Some of them may turn out to be eyewitnesses,” said an official. In the evening, a police team, led by an officer of the rank of ACP, was gheraoed by locals who accused the police of conniving with the upper caste men and tampering with evidence, a charge denied by the police.
