Tappal (Aligarh): Shilpa is impassive. Her eyes have run dry. Surrounded by a dozen women at her home in Aligarh’s Tappal village, all she can do is stare at a mobile phone photo of her two-year-old daughter Twinkle, who was allegedly killed last week over a Rs 10,000 loan.
“They butchered my only child,” Shilpa said, as the women fanned her. Someone tried to offer her water, but she kept mumbling, her gaze fixated on the phone.
Contrary to initial reports and social media speculation, Twinkle wasn’t raped. But the brutality inflicted upon the child is likely to haunt her parents and the village of Tappal forever.
Twinkle was Shilpa and her husband Banwari Lal Sharma’s only daughter, born five years into marriage, after several medical complications. Her death comes just eight months after Shilpa suffered a miscarriage and lost a fetus she’d carried for nine months.
The couple last saw their daughter alive on 30 May, a Thursday, when she left the house around 8.30 am to play with her friends. Forty-eight hours later, her decomposed, maggot-infested body was dragged out of a garbage dump near her house by stray dogs, who then ravaged the body further.
Her eyes were popping out, right arm had been cut off, left leg, ribs, nose fractured, and the corpse nibbled by insects and rodents, in some parts down to her bone.
Failing to get that image out of her head, Shilpa rubbed her eyes vigorously and shook her head every five minutes. “The stench of her body is still fresh in my nose. That image of her lying in a garbage heap, in that condition, haunts me,” she said, “I do not think I can ever get it out of my head.”
According to Aligarh police, the child was abducted by two men, Zahid and Aslam, who then tortured and murdered her. The reason: The duo owed her grandfather Rs 10,000 and had had an argument with him just two days before. In the heat of the argument, they had warned him that they would teach him a lesson.
The two have been booked, among other sections, under the National Security Act, which is generally reserved for terror-related offences.
Also read: India’s justice system needs complete overhaul, says Justice Gogoi on child sexual abuse cases
Mounted loudspeakers over bike and toured village for 24 hours
Twinkle’s family alleges that Aligarh police waited 32 hours before taking action on their complaint. According to Banwari Lal Sharma, he rushed to the Tappal police station soon after they discovered Twinkle missing, but no one listened to him.
“She must have gone to someone’s house. She will return,” he was allegedly told.
“Police took my contact number and told me that I should go home and they will call me in case they find her,” he said.
“They did not take any written complaint, nor did they care to ask about the appearance of my daughter, what she was wearing. So, I thought, I will have to do this myself,” he added.
So, he gathered a few of his friends and went to all temples and mosques in the vicinity, asking them to make announcements about his daughter being missing.
When no news came for a couple of hours, he took his bike, mounted loudspeakers on it, and went across the village making announcements.
“I was on the road all day on 30 May, doing door-to-door searches and making announcements, but to no avail,” he said. “The next day, at 9.15 am, I again went to the police station and requested them to lodge a complaint. It was only at 4.30 pm that police registered a case, that too after much persuasion,” Sharma added.
Police subsequently formed a search party. However, despite combing through the village, police were not able to find Twinkle.
The yellow capri
On 1 June, Sharma told ThePrint, police came to him and asked him to go over CCTV footage with them.
“All day, they showed us CCTV footage from different locations without making any effort to find her. We could not spot her in the footage,” he added, “I kept looking for the yellow capri she was wearing when I last saw her, but could not spot her anywhere. The entire day was wasted.”
On 2 June, a woman who collects garbage spotted Twinkle’s maggot-infested body as dogs fed on it at a dump, and raised an alarm.
“The dogs dragged the body out of the garbage bin. I could not recognise my own daughter as her face was completely disfigured,” said Sharma, “All I could recognise was her yellow capri.”
According to the autopsy report, Twinkle died of “shock due to ante-mortem injuries”, or wounds inflicted before death. She was probably beaten for as many as eight hours before she died.
“The autopsy made it clear that the girl was killed on 30th itself. She was hit by blunt objects, thrashed and tortured,” a police officer investigating the case says.
“Her legs and ribs were fractured and one arm amputated. The body was then hidden in a room, under a hay stack, because of which it decomposed in the heat,” he adds.
According to police, the accused probably dumped the body near the garbage heap the same day it was discovered.
Also read: Kathua rape & murder verdict Monday, defence has claimed victim’s community framed accused
‘Found sufficient clues’
As villagers gathered around the garbage dump after the body was spotted, Twinkle’s grandfather saw Zahid passing by. The argument of a few days before came back to him and he was immediately suspicious that the child may have been killed by Zahid and Aslam.
“He then raised an alarm and the people around caught hold of Zahid and informed police,” Sharma said. “Zahid was handed over to police and a case registered against him and his brother.”
According to police, they, along with a team from the Forensic Science Laboratory, had found sufficient clues to prove the girl was killed in the backyard of Zahid’s house.
However, questions remain: Why didn’t police examine the room, barely 100 metres from the girl’s house, during their door-to-door search? Why would the accused dump the body in a garbage heap right in front of their house?
But police are certain. “There is no doubt that the two killed the girl and then dumped her body to decompose,” Aligarh senior superintendent of police Akash Kulhari said, “However, she was not sexually assaulted. No acid was thrown on her face.”
“Police made thorough attempts to search for the girl but, unfortunately, her dead body was found on 2 June,” he added.
“Zahid and Aslam have been arrested and we are going to impose the NSA, so that they do not get bail,” he said, “Also, we are requesting the court to fast-track the case for speedy justice.”
The NSA allows detention of a person to prevent him or her from acting in any manner prejudicial to the security of India, the relations of India with foreign countries, the maintenance of public order, or the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community.
In this case, the NSA was invoked because of the nature of the case and the potential it has to disrupt and disturb law and order: Half the population in Tappal is Muslim, and the case could potentially take on communal overtones, as it did in the 2018 rape and murder of an eight-year-old in Kathua.
The family of the accused, including Zahid’s wife, mother, brother and sister, have fled their home in the wake of the crime. A police team are now on the lookout for them.
“If the girl’s body was kept in the backyard, it is certain Zahid’s family knew about it, which makes them party to the crime. We have sent teams to make more arrests,” another police officer involved in the investigation said.
“One of the accused, Aslam, was arrested previously for allegedly raping his own daughter,” he added.
Also read: Rahul & Priyanka lead protests against brutal child murder in Aligarh, Kejriwal gets patriotic
‘It is not about Hindu-Muslim’
Back at Twinkle’s home, one of the dozen women trying to console Shilpa appeared agitated. “It is us Hindus who are sitting quietly even after seeing our daughter fed upon by dogs. What if we decide to take revenge?” she said.
But Twinkle’s aunt Geeta Sharma immediately countered her, “It is not about Hindu-Muslim. Let us not shift our focus from the crime that has been committed… Whoever has done it cannot be a human being, irrespective of what religion he follows. Even a Hindu could have done it.”
“We just want that, whoever has done it, should not be spared,” she added. The women surrounding her nod in agreement.
“You are right. Despite a 50 per cent Muslim population, we have been co-existing for so many years,” said one of the women, “Why would this happen now?”
How can people do this with this little girls… the feeling of twinkle Sharma i written in short poetry on shayarix… If you want really to read her feeling please visit shayarix.in
BURN THEM ALL!
Why does religion come up in an act of rape, murder of children and babies?? When I see a toddler, god knows I don’t see the religion on their face but innocent lovely gift of God to humankind..these inhumans who committed the crime should be kept alive but Choo off their limbs, castrate them and throw them on roads. That’s the only punishment which comes to my head.
Heinous crime. Police fully responsible. Politicians also keep police protection for themselves. That’s the reason there are not enough police to keep vigilance on common man. But in this case it was shear negligence on the police as they didn’t act swiftly even after the child’s father S complaint.
Look at that child, how can those two sub human things be so evil as to kill that little defense less child ? kill the two slowly so that they beg for their death, skin them hang draw and quarter them. They should not be hanged or given quick death., wish i can get my hands on them..
Absolutely heinous crime .inhumane… Really admire the aunt of child who in this extremely disturbing & instigating moments too could keep clarity …& state criminality is not religion monopoly. ….
An Extreme Action should be taken for Every Crime. They should beg for their Death, make their Situation worst then Hell…. they should be in between the Death of their Life….
Requesting to hand Over to “ME” Or to Public… They Needed a Stronger Punishment.
Hang both of them immediately. Blodypitch of the son
How shameful this is that stupid men who had killed that small girl should also be killed in the same manner by breaking their legs , hands and each and every part of their body . They should experience a death that no one should dare to do this type of crimes again.they should be sentenced to death as soon as possible
This was the culmination of barbarism now.
Enough to just a candle march. #India_wants_justice, justice and only justice. Curse on humanity and on so called human_being. Waiting for that egalitarianism day. All ours heart go out for that irreproachable toddler. #RIP_TwinkleSharma
Its the Police that is absolutely useless. This is not just the story of aligarh and but, policemen across the country are no better. They seem to still have the mindset of the British era with no empathy or any real emotion toward public service. They are highly corrupt and incapable… that’s the unfortunate truth
How human can be so cruel and merciless to take revenge by killing cute and adorable Twinkle our daughter!!! It is really shame to call ourselves as human. You two bastards have no right to live anymore need immediate execution in the similar way. What a shame !!!! Today we as a human lost to call ourselves as human..My heartfelt condolences for such merciless killing of Twinkle to her family. Beta we all Indians pray for your soul to rest in peace.. and feel sorry as we miserably failed to save you…😫😣😥
Nothing less than death to culprits and execution to be done by the family members of culprits in the presence of Twinkle’s family if they wish.
The culprits must be executed and their bodies must be hanged.
its a shame to be an indian……(really!!!!)
First culprit Police Second culprit those idiots… Police should be equally punished..Are they time passing in station.. Hanging is a small punishment it just a small pain matter of 5 mins.. They should be tortured in the same manner that too in public. So that no one does again..Now human right idiots will come into picture
The police is equally party to this crime, by not acting immediately. It is a failure of their basic duty to register a complaint and act upon it immediately in at least such situations. The NSA is only an eyewash for what the police didn’t do earlier. This must be probed.
Why those 2 were handed to police which didnt took action on time they should hv been killed and then handed over to so called administration. Its time for the mass to take action against these creatures no police or administration is going to take adequate actions against them inspite of having enough evidence. They will get bail after few days and will become so called bhai.
Speech less. I just want to tore my clothes.
How can a human be so cruel.
Thousands of of bullet’s should be fired upon their faces in presence of general public.
इन बच्चों से हमे क्या लेना देना जो निर्दयी तरीके से इनकी हत्याए कर देते है भगवान एन्हे माफ न करे ।
The culprits should be sentenced to death with utmost torture in public on fast track basis so that anyone thinks 1000 times before committing such henious crime. My heart goes out to the bereaved child and her family. May God rest her soul in peace but I am sure she will be at peace only once the culprits are sentenced to death and meet their end.
Just do the exactly same with those basterds.. beet atleast for 8 hours brutally.. cut down right hand, then one leg, them private part.. them allow dogs and insects to please them.. till their last breath.. All this to be done publicly.. if their family got found to be party.. do the same with all of them as well.. it’s not just about to punish them alone.. it’s all about to teach lesson to all such criminals..
The culprits are not just the two men but all those who must have ignored the wailing and crying child’s voice. If she was beaten for eight hours in the back yard of the culprit , was there no one who heard the child crying. My appeal to people, Please don’t remain ignorant.if you hear some child crying around, please check. We all are becoming Deaf and Dumb. We ignore things around us. Neighbourhood relations are becoming bitter. And Please who is a Hindu or a Muslim. The Britishers had sown the seeds of Divide and Rule. And people are still taking advantage of this rule.
We want justice, Hanged till death to murderer publicly
Death sentence will not make feel the pain that they have given to kid. Court should give them regerous punishment of life impresonment with their body parts amputed. And get their few of the body part doneted to the needy. Then they will understand the pain that they have given. I think even this punishment is less for them.
I’m speechless. How can someone be so cruel and inhuman and how our government can be so ingnorant and police so careless not giving a damn about literally anything. Why doesnt anyone show atleast some humanity or atleast sense of responsibility towards their job? Government only cares about banking votes not the country.. police only cares about laid back job and making as much as money doing nothing
Why this country is so fucked up? I feel I must do something but what I should I do when everyone else is fucked up. It’s scary when you look at such acts and feel ashamed of being a human.Animals are better.
you’re right. I am disgusted after reading this …………ALL MEN MUST DIE!
The police did not try to take any action when the girl went Missing, but now they are requesting court for fast-track for this case. Useless.
The Dog will ommit and the eat the same. Such is the condition of the Indian Society. Besides possessing all the necessary evidences beyond the reasonable doubt the Indian Justice System is in a very very slow pace. I too admit that the perpetrators should be hanged without any leniency after the speedy probe but again there will be a hurdle with the Human Rights Rascals. They neither allow the justice system take the situations forward nor stop crying foul. Anyway, the stringent and desirable punishment of Hang to Death is very much necessity to the Indian society. But, I feel as usual that this case also will hush up like any other. God save the country.
If this isn’t barbaric then what else it would be, these dastardly attacks have become common from last few years on a high scales, now as the central government is set to clear all garbage from the society, my request and suggestion is that,never spare anyone who does any wrong to anybody, the punishment should always be in proportion to the crime committed without looking at age,cast,creed, region or religion,as they say” criminals doesn’t belong to this society at all and should not be spared for the smooth functioning of the society as a whole”
Our voice should reach till PM…. Like he did air strike in Pakistan a strict action like hanging the accused in public should b done such brutal cases
Shame to the administration……shame to the police dept….shame to the humanity….no words to describe …..
I have no word to explain…how angry am today…. Shot those bastrads ….
I hope this time the constitution of India will work and we want the accused not be spared. They should be given the highest rank of punishment in our jurisdiction. This really teares my heart out to read crime against women (rape) ,Mob lynching , Child Abuse ,Rape , Murders ….police please clean up the shit from our societies. We want a peaceful stay of our children’s and ourself. Jai hind
This incident is very shocking to everyone. Culprit should be punished immediately. By reading the whole article this is our every time founding that police have not registered the written complaint. Why the police always to refuse to register the case. They are sitting in police station to refuse or to lodge complaint. Very first rule should made for police.
Higher ups of police dept should take serious action against the local police officers/ constabulary responsible for inaction.
The accused should be punished as soon as possible so that no one in future can dare to do such things.these are henious crimes that should be eleminated from our society so that everone can live freely and specially the women and girls.
Hope the responsible stakeholders would act upon it
Hang them in public , let this be a lesson to everyone . Dear court : Justice for Twinkle – Don’t delay in this judgement.
I think that it is the right time to fix an example for these kind of criminals. Cut down their all the organ one by one publicly because she was not only a little girl but she was like my daughter…,😥😥😥…I pray that she is going to jannat…
Need to change the law of waiting hours to minimum for registering missing compliants…. Twinkle could have been saved if search would have been launched on the first day itself.
Don’t know where this country is heading.. earlier Nirbhaya and now Twinkle. The brutality is increasing as if there is any competition among these people. I just hope this little soul gets the justice soon.
Death is the only punishment for them.