The acquittal of Moninder Singh Pandher and Surinder Koli, the accused in the Nithari child rape and murder cases, has left the victims’ families questioning the decision. The Allahabad High Court’s decision to clear Pandher in two cases and Koli in 12 due to a lack of evidence has reignited the pain of those affected.
A 60-year-old woman living near Nithari village, whose 10-year-old daughter was among the victims recalls, “Every day when we sit together for dinner, I still miss keeping aside a plate for my daughter. I imagine she is here with us, but I cannot change the hard reality.”
For this mother, it’s a daily reminder of her fifth child, who aspired to be a doctor. Her daughter had simply gone to a tailor shop adjacent to Pandher’s house, but she never returned. The search for her daughter led to an encounter with Pandher and Koli, who dismissively claimed not to have seen her.
The woman, who has been living in Nithari for over three decades, also recalled the moment she noticed blood-like stains on Koli’s clothing, a troubling sign that something was wrong.
Her husband expressed the financial and emotional toll of fighting for justice. He said, “From the media, I got to know about the judgment. But how can this be? I saw the skull and clothes recovered from the drain and gali behind his (Pandher’s) house. I have been living in pain for years, and now, it has increased. The way those men murdered my daughter, they must be brought to justice. They destroyed the lives of many families…”
Another mother, who lost her five-year-old son in the events, reflects on the loss that still burdens her. She recalls, “He was my eldest, he would have been around 23 years now. That day, he had asked for money to buy sugarcane juice from a stall around 200 metres from our house… he never returned. We searched the whole area, but couldn’t find him.”
Also Read: Delhi: Police arrest 5 in Mundka’s petrol pump robbery case, seize two motorcycles and pistol
Meanwhile, a father who lost his three-year-old son expressed his anger by throwing a brick at Pandher’s house upon hearing the news of the acquittals. When asked about the judgment, he said, “I can’t speak currently, sir, the pain is very heavy.”
Payoshi Roy, the lawyer for Surinder Koli, who still faces one conviction and is serving a life sentence, declared their intention to approach the Supreme Court in light of the recent judgment. The acquittals were granted based on the same evidence in the 12 other cases, raising questions about the legal process.