In a grim reminder of the Shraddha Walkar case, a local criminal, Mohammad Shakeel, 55, allegedly stabbed Neelam Devi, in early 40s, in the head, back, both eyes, chopped off her hands and breasts and private parts, even as she cried for help in Bihar’s Bhagalpur, police said. CNN-News18 spoke exclusively to Shakeel, in Pirpainti police lock-up, who alleged he was being framed. His brother, too, has been arrested over the attack.
Neelam was brought dead to the Jawaharlal Nehru Medical Hospital.
FAMILYSPEAK
The family has denied love affair or loan as the motive. Ashok Yadav, the woman’s husband, told CNN-News18: “Shakeel always used to wander around the village and keep an eye on women and girls. I don’t know the reason why he attacked my wife. We had no enmity.”
His daughter Nootan broke down. “My mother never hid anything from us. There was no transaction or any connection between my mother and Shakeel. The murderers should be hanged to death.”
“We did not get help from the police on time and because of which she died while going to the hospital. The police didn’t receive our call. In her dying declaration, she took Shakeel’s name. We want death penalty as well as a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry into this gruesome murder,” Neelam’s brother said.
The local residents and Yadav’s neighbours said Shakeel often used to threaten other villagers. “We are shocked. He has defamed our village. His sons are in Hyderabad. He must be punished,” they said.
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ACCUSED SPEAK
Shakeel said: “I have not killed Neelam Devi. She had taken a loan of Rs 3 lakh from me. But I didn’t kill her. Police are trying to fabricate the case by implicating me.”
POLITICS HEATS UP
The issue, meanwhile, has taken a political turn. Vijay Sinha, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly (BJP), said, “This gruesome murder just shows the mentality and motive of jihadis. The coalition government has totally failed in the state. The Nitish Kumar government is nurturing the Popular Front of India and jihadi agents. The Janata Dal United (JD(U)) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) are playing appeasement politics, due to which Bihar is becoming a terror state. We demand speedy trial and proper compensation to the family.”
The JD(U) and RJD coalition blamed the BJP for “communalising” the incident and assured to take steps to give justice to the family. The belt where this incident took place has both Muslim and Yadav population.
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