After locals at Siba´s village in Gulariya VDC-8 registered the complaint along with the recording of the telephone conversation between Siba and Babu, to prove latter´s innocence, the police on Sunday expanded the area of investigation arresting Siba´s mother Hasina Hasami and brother Suddu Hasami. [break]
In the recorded telephone conversation, which is in Hindi language, Siba was found requesting Babu to marry her, and also said that her family was posing great threat to their relation.” I have been beaten daily in my house. Marry me and take me out of this place. My family is planning to frame you in the murder after killing me,” Siba is heard speaking with Babu over the phone.
In the 15 minute long audio conservation, Babu is heard saying, “How can I take you out in such situation? Don´t worry! They cannot harm you. Don´t force me to runway. Where will we go? I too cannot live without you.”
The complaint of the local claimed that Siba´s Mother Hasina Hasami, two brothers-Suddu and Rijwan-had set Siba on fire after dousing petrol on her body. The locals on Tuesday also staged a sit-in outside the District Police Office claiming Babu to be innocent.
According to Sharad Rai, a Motorcycle Workshop owner, where Babu was working as head mechanic, Babu could not have killed his girl friend, with whom he was in love head over heel. “Brother! I am in relation with a girl but her brothers are threatening to kill us both,” Rai quoted Babu as telling him frequently. Rai also said that Babu had told him that Siba´s parents were reluctant to give their daughter´s hand to him as he was not financially well off.
“If you want to marry our daughter, you should possess two tolas of gold and have to build a house of your own,” Babu had told Rai quoting the demand of the girl´s mother. Rai also informed that Babu had already started building his own house.
“Police arrested Babu on the basis of the Siba´s statement recorded by the police immediately after the incident. She might have spoken the name of her lover at the time of pain. It is mistake on the part of police to consider Babu as the murderer,” said a neighbor Aarif.
According to the sources, the statement of victim, the main basis of the police investigation has been weakened after Siba´s statements recorded in the Bardiya hospital were not consistent to blame Babu.
“After the local registered complaint categorically naming girl´s parents´ involvement in the killing, we have arrested deceased girl´s mother and a brother,” said Police inspector Arun Singh. “Police have been trying to establish the authenticity of the audio attached with the complaint,” inspector Singh added.
Inter-party women´s network chairperson Urmila Panday emphasized on the need of deeper investigation to bring the real perpetrator to the book.
Siba, who had sustained 90 percent burn injuries in the incident on December 7, breathed her last while undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital in Kathmandu on December 13.
Related story
Food crisis looms large as drought hits Madhesh districts
