‘Yes, my son hit Geeta,” says Mukesh’s father Sunder. Praveen Khanna Less than two hours from the national capital, off NH 34, there is an unusual calm in Pipli Kheda village of Meerut district. Following a story in The New York Times of an alleged murder in the village that was hushed up, people avoid speaking to “strangers”. Nobody seems to have read the article, but they all agree a woman died, and the matter was “settled”: “Aapas mein razinama ho gaya.
Baat khatam ho gaya hai (There was a mutual settlement. The issue is over).” However, after the NYT story, police are investigating why even an FIR was not registered in the death of a woman after she was brutally beaten by her husband, in front of many people. Instead, the ‘panchayatnama’ or panchnama, recording the police observations, said Geeta had died after falling down the stairs.
There are many who claim to have seen the incident, on May 1 last year. They say 30-year-old Mukesh kept hitting Geeta with a lathi, and that they tried to stop him, fearing she would die. She passed away on way to hospital. The post-mortem says death was caused by ‘ante-mortem’ injuries. No case was registered at the Kharkhouda Police Station. Mukesh has since The autopsy, conducted at P L Sharma District Hospital around 3.15 pm that day, lists nine injuries on Geeta’s body, including swelling, lacerated wound, 68 murdered in Maliana, all accused acquitted 36 years later, residents ask: So who killed our families? contusions.
“Swelling on the right side of the head. Lacerated wound (bone deep) on the right side of the head above right ear. Contusion on the left side of the face and contusion on the right side of the face. Contusion on the front of left knee. Swelling on the dorsal side right hand. Contusion on the dorsal aspect of right forearm. Abrasion on the dorsal aspect of left forearm. Contusion on the dorsal aspect of left forearm below left elbow,” said the post-mortem report.
Claiming they had come to know about the case only now, and were “examining it”, In appeal, Rahul says was mistreated, sentenced to attract if somebody is ready to compromise, it is not (like) we won’t investigate, register an The panchnama in the case is dated June 15, 2016, and signed by the SHO of Kharkhauda Police Station. It says Geeta was sleeping on the terrace of her house and fell while coming down.
It adds, “Geeta’s mother and husband were questioned and all cited her falling down the stairs as cause of death. They also said that her inlaws were not at fault and requested that no legal action be taken against them. Atah uqta prakash mein kisi apradh ka nahin hona paya gaya aur kisi police karyawahee ki avashyakta nahin hai (In the light of the above, there is no evidence of a crime, and no need for any police action).”
With the panchnama was attached a statement by Shanta, dated June 30, 2016. It carries the thumb impression of Geeta’s mother Shanta, Mukesh and four others. It says, “My daughter Geeta had no problems with her in-laws… She was sleeping on her terrace one day and for some reason was coming down the stairs when she fell and suffered many injuries. Her husband and in-laws took her to hospital but she died on the way.
We were told over the phone that police had got a post-mortem done and she had been cremated. Main Shanta… apne samdhi aur samdhan aur 53rd Kerala State Film Awards: Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam named Best Film; Mammootty, Vincy Aloshious bag top honours Mukesh ke khilaf koi kanooni karyawahee nahin chahti hoon (I don’t want any legal action against Mukesh, his father and his mother).”
Both belonging to the ‘Nat’ caste, traditionally entertainers and jugglers, Geeta and Mukesh had been married for nine years and had four children. Geeta belonged to Jawan village in Muzaffarnagar district, some 40 km from Pipli Kheda. Villagers say Mukesh would beat her, but not so brutally or in the open, as he did that day. Sitting on a cot outside their home, Mukesh’s father Sunder needs a little prodding to talk about how Geeta died.
Then he is candid, “Yes, my son hit Geeta. There was no case and the matter is resolved… Aap to samajhdar ho… hamara samjhauta ho This restaurant in Jordan allows customers to nap after eating a meal gaya hai. Jail chala gaya to bahut dikkat hoga (You are wise… we have settled. If he goes to jail, it will be very difficult).” About why Mukesh hit Geeta, Sunder is evasive. He first says he hit her by mistake, then says it was out of anger, later he hurls an accusation: “Geeta badchalan thi (She was of loose character).”
Mukesh is not at home. Sunder says he is away in Meerut, and works as a daily wage labourer with a “band baja ki company”, Man tries to fat-shame woman on flight by tweeting her photo; Virat Kohli hits ton before WI openers begin solidly Shanta admits signing the panchnama, but is angry at the accusations being levelled at her daughter since. Geeta’s 7-year-old son now is with her, and sits close by, surrounded by relatives.
“Ek hum hain jo chup hain, aur wo kuch bhi bol rahen hai (It’s we who are keeping quiet, Mukesh and family are saying all kinds of things 'Bazball' comes to subcontinent: Pakistan change their game about her),” Shanta says. However, the 55-year-old adds that there was no point fighting the case. After they heard of Geeta’s death, she says, they went in a group of 50 to Mukesh’s house, beat him up and dragged him to the police station.
“But I felt ashamed sending him to jail. Who would take care of their children?” Shanta adds, “Kaun maa apne bacche ko marne par koi karyahee nahin chahti (Which parent won’t want action taken in their child’s murder)? If Geeta didn’t have four children, we would have pursued the case too. But we didn’t due to the Who is accountable in Manipur? The NYT story quoted and carried the photograph of a home guard constable posted at the Kharkhouda Police Station.
He said it was a murder, and that Mukesh’s family members had bribed senior officers at the police station. Now the constable, refusing to be named, says he didn’t know “what all I told” the reporter. He worries about what might happen to him. “Senior police officers are inquiring and I think I am in big trouble.” UCC: How BJP, RSS position has changed since Independence issues notice to Gujarat govt on Rape FIR gathered dust for 62 days as and raped in Police were with the mob, the...
Gandhi posts pic of Nutrition alert: Here’s what a 100gram serving of peanuts contains SHO, Kharkhauda Police Station, Sandeep Singh, who was deputed after the incident, says the constable had no authority “to speak on anything”. “The allegations that we took bribe are not true,” he adds. Singh also makes the point that “there is no complaint from anyone”. “Everyone agreed that she fell.
If any complainant comes forward, I will register a case today itself. ” Meerut DSP, Dehat, How do mirrorless cameras work? Reasons why you should consider Rajesh Kumar claims ignorance about the specifics of the case, but agrees police are “helpless” without a complainant.