Hyderabad: Parents of girl who died after 68-day fast booked for culpable homicide

Hyderabad: A case was booked on Sunday at the Market police station following the death of 13-year-old Aradhana Samdariya against her parents and others.

Aradhana, a Jain and Class VIII student of St Francis High School, had been forced to fast for 68 days by her parents, family members and elders of her community.

The case was booked under Section 304 part-II of the IPC that deals with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and also under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which deals with wilful neglect of a child by a guardian causing unnecessary mental or physical suffering. Child rights NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham registered the case with the Market police. The hard copy of the complaint was emailed to the city police commissioner. The NGO also appealed to advocates asking them not to provide legal support to Aradhana’s parents or the gurus.

Community backs parents, to meet today
When contacted, Aradhana’s grandfather Manekchand Samdariya said, “Aradhana was not forced to undergo fasting. Her parents are in trauma not just because they lost their child in the tragic incident but also due to wrong allegations being made against them. We have moral support from the Jain community in Hyderabad and are planning on how to take legal recourse.”

Mr Prakash Luniya, trustee of Shri Rajas-than Jain Swetambar Murtipujak Sangh, Secunderabad, said, “Base-less allegations are being made against not just the parents but the entire community following this very tragic incident; our religion itself has come under attack because of that.”

He said a large gathering of elders from the Jain community on Monday will discuss the further course of action. “We are with the parents of the girl as we know that they did not force her to take up fasting. She did it on her own,” Mr Luniya said.