GHAZIABAD: A 12-year-old boy, who suffered serious burn injuries when he allegedly fell near a burning motorcycle set on fire during violent protests against a
Supreme Court order regarding changes in the SC/ST Act on April 2, has died in a hospital in Delhi nearly a week ago. However, his death was passed off as one due to natural causes as the police did not register an FIR. The boy’s father, who works as a lineman in the UP electricity department, said he made several rounds of the police station, but the cops did not take cognizance of his complaint.
The boy, Nikhil Diwakar, had died on on April 7 due to burn injuries suffered at Gaushala underpass on April 2 where a mob had put a police patrol motorcycle on fire.
Nikhil’s father
Neeraj Kumar, a resident of Krishna Nagar in Vijay Nagar, said: “On the fateful day, Nikhil was walking down from his aunt’s house in Shibbanpura when he came across some people who set the motorcycle on fire. He got scared and tried to hide somewhere, but someone from the crowd pushed him towards the burning vehicle. He was first taken to a nearby private hospital and then admitted to GTB Hospital in Delhi.”
Kumar, who had lost his right hand due to electrocution seven years back, added that he had been providing good education to his three children, Nikhil being the youngest one, despite his hardships. “We are shattered by Nikhil’s death. He was good in studies and secured A+ grade in his Class V annual exams,” he said.
Kumar said he had informed the police about his son being injured, but the police asked him to first get him treated at a hospital and then come and lodge a complaint. “Even after Nikhil’s death, I was told that FIR would be lodged only after they receive the post-mortem report. They gave us one reason or another not to lodge a complaint in the matter,” he said.
SHO, Vijay Nagar, Naresh Kumar Singh said an FIR would be lodged in the case once the post-mortem report is received. “An inquiry is going on and an FIR under relevant sections will be lodged subsequently. The special investigation team which is conducting an inquiry over the April 2 violence will also be apprised about it.”
