Missing kids: Parents await justice

Source: NDTV

Saturday, January 6, 2007 (Noida):

In the past eight days, Nithari village place has seen it all. Now, there's a gathering of other parents who are not from Nithari but have nevertheless lost their children. They now hope they may find people who will listen to their grievances.Forty-eight year old Geeta Pal come to Noida from Okhla. Her 16-year-old son left for school in April 2005 and never came back."I called up police everywhere from Okhla to Daryaganj. Police said your son must have ran away with a girl," said Geeta Pal, Resident, Sangam Vihar.Guddi's six-year-old son has been missing for the past year and a half."Police never took my case seriously. I told them about the suspects but they left soon and the case was never investigated further," said Guddi, Resident, Sangam Vihar.Mahmood Ali is yet another parent who has given up hope. His 21-year-old son went missing last year and the police did nothing, he says. He believes his son may be dead but he's come here looking for justice."I have gone to the police endless times but all my visits were left unheeded," said Mahmood Ali, Resident, Noida.They may not be from Nithari, but the fact remains their near ones are missing, for which politicians have taken less or no action. Perhaps this incident serves as a wake up call to the lax administration not just in Nithari but everywhere where justice is denied every hour.

Noida killings: Sonia slams UP govt
Source: NDTV

Saturday, January 6, 2007 (Noida/Gandhinagar):

Launching a scathing attack on the UP government, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said that there is no law and order in the state.She visited Nithari village, the site of ghastly serial killings, a week after the murders came to light.Gandhi claimed that the state's chief minister had relented under pressure from the Congress and asked for a CBI probe. "We demanded a CBI inquiry right in the beginning. At that time the Chief Minister refused a CBI inquiry. Now he has agreed under pressure," said Gandhi.The UPA Chairperson, who spent nearly 30 minutes at the village, met with the families of the victims and inspected the areas adjacent to the infamous residence of main accused Moninder Singh Pandher."There is no law and order in the state. Look at the situation yourself," she added.CPI (M) leader Brinda Karat also visited Nithari on Saturday and condemned the killings.Meanwhile, the police are trying to unravel the motive behind the macabre killings.

Narco analysis

Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surinder have been put through a psychological evaluation at the Directorate of Forensic Sciences in Gandhinagar.Over the next two days the accused are expected to undergo narco-analysis, brain mapping and polygraph or lie detector tests, which may provide some more leads for the police.According to reports, the duo had informed the officials that high profile persons including a senior politician of Uttar Pradesh and a doctor frequented Moninder's house. Meanwhile, the police in Noida have refused to comment on the reports of cannibalism involved in the incident.Earlier in the day, both Moninder and Surinder were taken to Gandhinagar Civil Hospital for medical examination. Several tests, including X-ray and ECG were conducted and their urine and blood samples were also taken. Moninder had a shop in Haridwar of JCB machines used in construction name of the shop "JCB classified auto distributor." From the time Moninder was arrested the labourers and other workers at his shop have disappeared.

Son defends father

But, Karan Pandher, son of the main accused Moninder Pandher, has lashed out against the media.Maintaining that his father was innocent, Karan said that he would take the help of private investigators as he felt that the police wasn't doing a good job. Karan alleged that the media has manipulated his words against his father."Every person should have a fair trial. My father has not been given a fair trial. If he is given a fair trial, we as a family are ready to face the consequences," said Karan. Karan also defended his father saying that he was not the serial killer and that he suspected the involvement of a doctor in the neighbourhood. He claimed that the doctor's drain is linked with the main drainage through a manhole and skeletons could have reached through this.