Lucknow woman's family stages sit-in, demands CBI probe

Lucknow, July 25 (IANS) The family of a Lucknow woman, who was murdered last week, Friday began an indefinite sit-in here, trashing police investigations and demanding the case be handed over to the CBI.

Alleging that there was "more to it than met the eye", the family junked the Uttar Pradesh government's claim that so far they had not made any formal request for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

"This is a white lie. We have sent the request duly signed by us to the Chief Minister's Office by registered post," a family member told IANS.

The two children of the victim - a 13-year-old daughter and a six-year-old son - on an emotional note recalled their last moments with their mother and told media persons that she was very caring and loving and fulfilled all their needs.

Demanding immediate transfer of the case to the CBI, the family said they had no faith in the probe carried out by the Lucknow police.

Citing the post-mortem examination report which inferred presence of two kidneys in the body of the woman, the family said the reality is that she donated one of her kidneys three years back to her husband.

"If that is how a probe is conducted, how can we be satisfied?" asked a family member.

Political parties, meanwhile, have extended their support to the bereaved family and have questioned the delay in recommending the case to the premier investigative agency.

Bharatiya Janata Party state spokesman Vijay Bahadur Pathak said the delay is only raising more questions.

"Everyone in the government is saying that (Chief Minister) Akhilesh Yadav is very serious about the case and the lacunae that are cropping up every day. Then why does he not promptly recommend a CBI probe?" he asked.

Congress state president Nirmal Khatri also urged the government to take decisive action with regard to the murder case.

"Serious issues have cropped up regarding the autopsy and other aspects of the crime. The government should act swiftly to set the records straight," he said.

The police team which probed the matter, however, continues to stick to its claims of having cracked the case. A private security guard has been arrested for the crime and police say he has confessed to killing the woman for spurning his advances.

The body of the woman was found on the outskirts of the state capital, a few km away from the venue of an event that was attended by former US president Bill Clinton.

Many women's organisations, social groups and political parties have since taken to the streets to protest the growing incidents of crimes against women in the state.