Nirupama Pathak

Koderma (Jharkhand), May 3: The parents of Nirupama Pathak, a woman journalist, who was found dead on Thursday in her house, were taken into custody for interrogation today, a senior police official said.

“We have taken the parents of Nirupama Pathak, who was attached with a reputed English business daily from New Delhi, for interrogation in connection with her murder,” Koderma police superintendent Kranti Singh said. However, he refused to comment whether it was a “honour killing” saying the investigation was still on. The police was also investigating the role of other family members and friends in the killing.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) today sought a report from the Jharkhand Government on the scribe’s death. NCW Chairperson Girija Vyas said that the commission has sought a report from the Jharkhand Government and “they should not hide anything”. She told “We are giving instructions that justice should prevail and that is why this case should go to the fast track court”. Vyas said the culprits should not be saved by anybody. “We have to have faith in our law,” she added.

According to the post-mortem report of the body, Superintendent of Police Kranti Kumar confirmed the death was caused by “asphyxia as a result of smothering”. Stating that the family members of the victim had misled the police by first claiming she died of electrocution, Kumar said though the incident had taken place in the morning hours, the police were informed by the evening.

Besides, the victim was strangulated with a rope even after she died because a ligature mark was found around her neck, said Kumar. Initial reports suggested she had killed herself over a love affair. Nirupama was called home earlier with false news that her mother was ill. Her family belongs to the educated list of families in the Jhumritalaiya village in Koderma.

Nirupama was hopeful that she could convince her parents to get married to the man she loves. But her hopes were crashed as her reservation to return back to Delhi was cancelled, and in her place the news of her death returned to her friends and office in Delhi. Experts suspect it as a case of ‘honour killing’ as there was a caste barrier in the victim’s affair.