Child Rights Body summons Nayagarh DM, SP

Meanwhile, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights SCPCR chairperson Sandhyabati Pradhan, who visited Nayagarh on Thursday, said, I doubt the girl child might have been a victim of human sacrifice or rape before murder.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) on Friday issued summons to the district magistrate and superintendent of police of Nayagarh to appear personally before the commission in connection with the alleged kidnapping and murder of a five- year-old girl. The summons have been issued based on complaints that alleged involvement of a "human organ trafficking" syndicate behind the murder, the chairperson of the child rights body said.

NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo tweeted on Friday, "Summon has been issued to DM and SP of #nayagarh for in person presence in the matter of kidnapping and murder of a girl child, @NCPCR_ has received complaints alleging human organ trafficking". The two senior officials were directed to appear before the commission through video conferencing on December 9 along with detailed action taken report (ATR), copy of FIR, and other relevant documents.

Earlier, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra had moved the national child rights protection body seeking justice for the family of the girl who was allegedly kidnapped and killed on July 14. Her skeletal remains were recovered from the backyard of her house nine days later. Patra in his petition to the NCPCR alleged that the girls eyes and kidney were suspected to have been removed before her murder.

He alleged involvement of a "well-oiled human organ trafficking racket" behind the kidnapping and murder of the girl, whose father is an auto-rickshaw driver. Meanwhile, State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) chairperson Sandhyabati Pradhan, who visited Nayagarh on Thursday, said, "I doubt the girl child might have been a victim of human sacrifice or rape before murder. Human sacrifice is prevalent in the districts of Nayagarh and Kandhamal".

However, the victim's mother said, "My daughter was not a victim of human sacrifice. We do not know whether human sacrifice is performed on girl child. The SCPCR chairperson might be trying to mislead investigation". Though about five months have elapsed since the incident, local police has failed to arrest any of the culprits involved in the crime even as the state government claimed that 34 suspected persons were interrogated and four people were subjected to polygraph test.

The parents of the child had attemped self-immolation outside the assembly accusing the police of inaction. The incident had led to public outcry prompting the government for ordering a probe by the Crime Branch.

A court-monitored Special Investigation Team (SIT) was also constituted to probe the alleged kidnapping and murder. Meanwhile, hundreds of Mahila Morcha activists staged a demonstration before the official residence of Agriculture Minister Arun Kumar Sahoo demanding his resignation for allegedly shielding the main accused, and a CBI probe into the incident.

Leader of Opposition P K Naik of the BJP has alleged that the Nayagarh police could not arrest the culprits involved in the incident as the accused persons were under the protection of the minister. Rejecting the allegations, the minister said, the childs family should get justice.

"I appeal to all of you not to politicise the matter", Sahoo said. However, opposition party Congress said, a court monitored SIT is sufficient to unearth truth.

"There are several instances when CBI has utterly failed to unravel truth. A court-monitored investigation could give justice to the childs family," said OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik..