Central government panel to probe Nithari killings
MIL/Agencies, Jan 3, 2007.
Lucknow, January 3, 2007 - The committee would be chaired by Manjula Krishnan, joint secretary in the women and child development ministry, and include J.S. Kochher, a director in the same ministry, V.N. Gaur, joint secretary (police) in the home ministry, and Balvinder Kumar, secretary of department of women and child development, Uttar Pradesh.
"The committee has been asked to look into the efforts made by the local administration, especially police, to locate the missing children and unite them with their families," said a ministry statement.
The committee will submit its findings within two weeks and also give its recommendations on how to prevent such incidents in future.
Since Dec 29, Noida police have uncovered skeletal remains of at least 20 children - most of them minor girls - from a drain behind the bungalow of businessman Moninder Singh Pandher. Over the last two years, 38 children have been missing from Nithari villagem, just 100 metres away from the house.
Police have arrested Moninder Singh and his domestic help Surendra on charges of killing the kids after sexually assaulting them. Nithari is home to over 25,000 people - mainly migrants from West Bengal.
According to the ministry, the committee would also assess the level of cooperation and assistance provided by the local administration, especially by police to the community, affected parents and families.
"It would also go into the modus operandi and the motive of the accused persons into these activities."
Renuka Chowdhury, who heads the ministry of women and child development, said: "It is a horror story, and I hope (Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister) Mulayam Singh Yadav will cooperate in the investigations. I am going to get to the bottom of the story."
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