Hyderabad: The North Zone police has told a city court that it has dropped its investigation into the death of Aradhana Samdariya, the 13-year-old girl who had died two days after fasting for 68 days in October last year.
The Market police, which had booked a case against Aradhana’s parents for culpable homicide, told the court that medical reports and other evidence suggested there were no negligence by her parents.
“Investigation officials verified the reports sent by a group of doctors who had treated Aradhana. We also sought a second opinion from other doctors. Neither the doctors’ reports nor any other evidence proved that she died due to the negligence of her parents. So the officials decided to drop the case, and they have submitted the report to the court,” said North Zone DCP B. Sumathi.
Activists to appeal police decision
After the police had started an investigation into Aradhana death, the influential Jain community had started a campaign to glorify the entire episode by naming Aradhana as one of their saint. Hundreds of organisations across India sent letters to the Director-General of Police, the Hyderabad police commissioner and the state government explaining the religious importance of fasting.
Police had booked the case following a complaint from child right activists and members of Balala Hakkula Sangham. The parents initially went absconding, refusing to appear before the police. They had approached the High Court for anticipatory bail, which was denied. The judge pointed out that the couple should have taken more care of the child. They were later questioned by the police.
The police has now sent a letter to the complainant stating that they should approach court if they wanted further investigation.
Child rights activist Achyuth Rao said that the Balala Hakkula Sangham would appeal to the court to reopen the case. He said such a serious case must not be dropped by the police in a hurry. "It was a murder. We will seek a CBI inquiry into the case," Mr Rao said.
