Ending a four-day deadlock, the family members of a teenaged girl who died after being pushed out of a bus late Wednesday while resisting an alleged molestation bid have agreed to perform her last rites and are also ready to take compensation.
“Apni beti ko ghar le jaana chahta hun, uska sanskaar karna chahta hun aam insaan ki tarah, mujhe maaf kar do (I want to take my daughter home and want to perform her last rites like a common man. I am sorry),” said father of Moga incident victim.
“I want to request that I want to perform the last rites of my daughter,” the victim’s father told reporters here. He also said that he had agreed for the post-mortem “without any pressure”.
He further said, “Jo mujhe sarkar ne de dia, bahut hai, mujhe maaf kar do, mai bas apni beti ko le jaana chahta hun (Whatever the government has done for me is enough).”
About compensation, he said he did not know about the quantum. “I cannot say about compensation. Whatever has been given to me is sufficient for me. I am happy that I will move away from here with my daughter,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Union Minister of State for home affairs, Kiren Rijiju said, “We are sure that Punjab government is taking appropriate steps.”
“Once we receive report and if we feel appropriate steps haven’t been taken, then necessary advisory or suggestion will be given,” he added.
While talking to reporters, Moga SSP JS Khaira said, “Family had apprehensions regarding investigation, there was rumor that FIR has not been registered, we showed them FIR. We showed family (of Moga incident victim) entire investigation we have done so far in a fair and transparent manner.”
“All four accused were arrested within 24 hours, bus was impounded. Family had apprehension that people whom we arrested have not committed the crime, but a boy who was travelling in the bus that day, identified them,” he added.
Khaira further said that “Father of the girl has agreed for post-mortem of the girl.”
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal also termed the incident as “intolerable” and “painful”. “This (Moga bus incident) is intolerable. The death of a girl in such conditions is very painful to me…I am going to Moga (to meet the family of girl),” he said.
Earlier, the victims family and the locals were protesting against Punjab Police outside Civil hospital here. According to reports, the family members of the victim even alleged that police were pressurising them to settle for a compromise.
Notably, the victim girl’s father Sukhdev Singh’s acceptance over compensation and cremation came today, who earlier was stuck to his demand for registration of a case against Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal and others, who own the bus service.
However, District Administration had ruled out the possibility of registration of case against bus owners, saying it was not legally possible.
The victim’s father had also demanded cancellation of road permits of Orbit Aviation before the last rites can be performed. The family had on Friday even rejected the government’s offer of a compensation of Rs 20 lakh, a government job for her mother, her free treatment and holding trial of the case in a fast track court.
