New Delhi, June 04: Monday saw developments in the alleged “ honour killing” of Delhi- based journalist Nirupama Pathak in the Capital as well as Koderma, her hometown in Jharkhand.While Pathak’s friends met National Commission for Women ( NCW) chairperson Girija Vyas and sought speedy justice in the case, the Koderma police arrested Pathak’s mother Sudha Devi on charges of murder.
Pathak, who was working with a business daily in New Delhi, was found hanging on April 29 at her home in Koderma.“ We demanded the arrest of the accused, a fair investigation and a trial before a fast track court,” said Himanshu, a friend of Pathak who was among those who met Vyas.
“ It is shocking that she was killed by members of her family because she wanted to marry a person from a lower caste.It is shameful that the accused still value such old and meaningless traditions. They must be brought to book,” Himanshu added.
Detailing the action to be taken Vyas said: “ We have sought a detailed report from the Koderma district police about the death of the girl. The case should be sent to a fasttrack court so that the culprits are punished at the earliest.” Priyabhanshu Ranjan, the news agency journalist who wanted to marry Pathak, was among those gathered on the NCW premises.According to Ranjan, he had suspected the role of Pathak’s family in her death from the time he got news of the incident.
“ She had told me she would not call again when we spoke over the phone on April 28.She was weeping. She was under pressure from her mother and brother,” Ranjan said.Superintendent of police ( Koderma) G. Kranti Kumar said the post- mortem examination report of Pathak indicated that she had died of asphyxia caused by strangulation with a rope.The report, he said, also revealed that Pathak was 10- 12 weeks pregnant.
He said the family tried to mislead the police saying Pathak died from electrocution on April 29.“ We have arrested Sudha Devi on circumstantial evidence. We are also interrogating the journalist’s father, Dharmesh, and her brother in connection with the case. They surely have a hand in this case,” Kumar said.