NCPCR chief visits violence-hit Barhi to oversee probe into Rupesh murder case

Hazaribag, Feb 20 (PTI) Chairperson of apex child rights body NCPCR Priyank Kanoongo on Sunday visited Barhi in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district to take stock of investigation into killing of Rupesh Kumar Pandey during Saraswati Puja.

Kanoongo, chairperson of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), held separate meetings with district officials and enquired about investigation.

He also visited residence of Pandey, 17, and met his family.

Kanoongo told reporters that a report will be submitted to Centre and state government soon.

" purpose of my visit was to ensure that laws to related child rights are not violated by police in case," he said.

Pandey's family demanded justice for killing and pleed for relief to maintain family as he was sole earning member, Kanoongo said.

Pandey's family also urged him that a boy who was held for arson in violence that followed killing should not be harassed.

boy, who is lodged at a juvenile home, was produced before Kanoongo.

Among officials Kanoongo met were Deputy Commissioner itya Kumar Anand, Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Choy, Officer-in-Charge of Barhi police station Niraj Kumar Singh, Sub-divisional Police Officer Nazir Akhtar and district child welfare officer.

He also met doctors of Hazaribag Medical College and Hospital who conducted post-mortem examination of Pandey's body, and doctor of Barhi Hospital who treated Pandey and later declared him de.

No political leers were allowed to meet him.

Pandey was killed during immersion of Saraswati idols on February 6, leing to widespre violence in area.

Meanwhile, two more people were arrested in connection with violence, taking total number of arrests to eight, police said.

Anor 10 persons were arrested for vandalising idol of a god on February 12.

After days of tension, violence-torn Barhi is at present limping back to normalcy. PTI CORR BS SOM SOM