A 13-year-old girl died in Hyderabad after her family allegedly compelled her to undertake a 64-day fast as part of a community ritual prompting the city police to launch an enquiry into the incident.
According to B Sumathi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone), “a case would be filed after a preliminary inquiry into the incident. As of now, we have made an entry in the general dairy,” she said.
A local NGO Balala Hakkula Sangham (Child Rights Association) had Friday wrote a letter to Hyderabad Police Commissioner seeking an inquiry into the girl’s death earlier this week. The NGO had alleged that the minor’s family members and other community elders made her undertake a fast for over 60 days as part of a ritual.
“The girl was studying 8th class in St Francis School. She was on fast for 64 days. It was over on October 1. She was on a liquid diet for the first two days (after the fast). On the third night, her blood pressure dipped and she was taken to a private hospital here where she was declared dead. We are talking to the parents and other relatives of the girl. As of now we made a GD entry.
An inquiry is going on. Once something is made out of the inquiry, then we will take action legally,” Sumathi told.
“No father wants her daughter to die, she has performed this ritual earlier as well but this time her body reacted differently,” Achuta Rao, the girl’s father said.
Although the date of the girl’s demise is still unclear, Association President Anuradha Rao, in the letter, claimed that the minor, residing in Pot Bazar of Secunderabad, died on October 3.
