Cong seeks CBI probe into Nithari murders

New Delhi, Jan 3 (UNI) Expressing shock and horror at the kidnapping and brutal murder of children at village Nithari in NOIDA, near here, the Congress today described "the terrible incident" as a national tragedy and called upon the Uttar Pradesh Government to have the matter investigated by the CBI.

"It is a matter of terrible shame that these incidents continued to occur over a period of two years,"Congress Spokesperson Jayanti Natrajan said."We understand from our party sources that over a period of two years there have been disappearances of over 98 children from that area alone." Briefing media persons here, she expressed the party's dismay at the laxity by the police that resulted in the disappearance of a large number of children. These should have been registered by the police in June 2005.

Ms Natrajan said the National Commission for Women had taken note of disappearnace of six young women from that village and summoned senior officials as early as 2005 telling them to take speedy action in the matter. Had a speedy action been taken then, the lives of several children could have been saved, but the police did not act giving the impression of complicity in the heinous crime, she added.

This has shocked the nation's conscience, she said, and disagreed with Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav's confidence reposed in his police in the matter.

Calling upon Mr Mulayam Singh to take a far more serious view of the incident, Ms Natrajan urged him to refer the matter to the CBI and take speedy action in the matter to ensure justice to the murdered children.

Replying to a question as to who all visited the spot after the incident, she said she would not like to politicise the matter by saying who visited or who from the Opposition parties did not visit the spot. She clarified that as per her infornmation State PCC Chief with entire team of party office bearers from the state visited the village.

UNI