Raj govt gives in to demand of Dalit girl's kin for CBI probe

The Rajasthan government has decided to recommend a Central Bureau of Investigation probe into the death of a Dalit girl under mysterious circumstances last month, conceding the demand of her family members days after Rahul Gandhi met them and extended his support.

A senior official said that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje gave the direction in this regard to the home department yesterday following which remarks of the director general of police were sought on Wednesday.

"After the directions from the chief minister's office, a letter was sent to the DGP seeking his remarks today. A proposal will now be forwarded to the CBI," Jagdeep Singh, deputy secretary of home department, told PTI.

DGP Manoj Bhatt said, "I have also made my remarks on the letter". The girl's family had said that they have no faith in the investigation being conducted by the state police.

Congress had taken up the issue, with party vice president Rahul Gandhi comparing it to the case of alleged suicide by Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad central university and had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of discriminating against the Dalits.

He visited the family members of the girl in Barmer district on April 13, where the girl's father said that he wanted a CBI probe into the matter. Gandhi, who also addressed a Dalit conference in Jaipur on that day, had said that the father of the girl has no faith in the government and the state police and wanted a CBI inquiry.

Pradesh Congress Committee President Sachin Pilot, Leader of Opposition Rameshwar Dudi and former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had also raised the demand of a CBI inquiry.

The girl, who belonged to Bikaner and was pursuing BSTC, a teacher training course, in a private educational institute of Bikaner, was found dead in a water tank on March 30 on the institute premises.

In the intervening night of March 28-29, she was allegedly found in the room of physical trainer and instructor Vijendra Singh by the hostel warden. Singh was arrested after the girl was found dead.

The hostel warden and principal were also arrested for not informing the police when she was allegedly found in the instructor's room.