Minor girl cremated without parents' consent in Delhi; crematorium's priest arrested

NEW DELHI: A crematorium priest has been arrested for allegedly cremating the body of a nine-year-old girl without her parents’ consent in South West Delhi’s Old Nangal village.Delhi Police have registered a case against the priest on the basis of the statement of the minor’s mother who alleged that her daughter was raped, murdered and cremated. Police said based on the statement of the victim’s mother, rape charges have been added in the FIR. Four people, including the priest, have been arrested, they said. Only the burnt legs of the girl were recovered from the crematorium ground and the post-mortem report is awaited.

DCP South West Ingit Pratap Singh, said, “They received a PCR call on Sunday at around 10.30 pm at Delhi Cantonment police station regarding rape and death of a minor girl and her body being cremated. The caller also informed that around 200 villagers have gathered at the crematorium in Old Nangal.” “Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The girl’s mother gave her statement and a case was registered under relevant sections. The priest was taken into custody. FSL team and crime team were called to collect any evidence from the spot,” the DCP added. 

Police said the girl lived with her parents a rented house near the  crematorium. “At around 5.30 pm Sunday, she went to get cold water from the cooler in the crematorium after informing her mother. At around 6 pm the crematorium’s priest Radhey Shyam and three others known to the girl’s mother called her to crematorium and showed the girl’s body stating that she got electrocuted while having water from the cooler. They also pointed out the burn marks between her left wrist and elbow, and the blue colouring of her lips,” said the official. 

The priest and others convinced the woman that if she makes a PCR call, the police will make a case out of it and during post mortem the doctors will steal all organs of the girl. They allegedly made her agree that it was better to cremate the body. Thus, the body was cremated. However, the girl’s parents later alleged she was cremated without their consent. Subsequently, villagers gathered at the spot and one of them alerted the police,” said the DCP. “The priest has been taken into custody after registering a case. Samples have also been collected. Further investigation is under on,” said DCP Singh. 

4 detained, rape charge in FIR
Police said based on the statement of the victim’s mother, rape charges have been added in the FIR. Four people have been arrested