Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 30
After much delay, the court yesterday framed the charges against Pushpam Kumar Singh for offence of murder and for tampering the evidence against 19 year old Manipuri Girl. The accused strangulated and burnt the girl’s body at her home in Munirka in South Delhi.
After nine months, the framing of charges paves the way for initiation of trial in this case. The matter is put up for hearing on November 3, 8, 9, 10, 29, 30 and December 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 2010 in the court of Shri D.K. Sharma, Additional Session Judge, Patiala House Court.
Speaking to The Morung Express, a representative from Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network, New Delhi said that the murder happened on October 2009, but there has been delay in filing the charges. Also, the offence charges framed is not only murder but for tampering the evidence, as the accused had tried to make it look like an accidental death” stated the representative. It may be recalled that on 24 October 2009, Ramchanphy Hongray (19) was attacked by Pushpam Kumar Sinha (29), who resided in the second floor of the same building — house number A-80. The youth is pursuing his PhD in Wave Mechanics from IIT, Delhi.
The reasons given by the accused Sinha was that he lived next door to Hongray and she had been rejecting his advances over the past few days. On Saturday the fateful afternoon, when she was alone at home, he entered the house and assaulted her.
As she resisted, he allegedly strangled her and then set her body on fire in the kitchen to remove evidence.
A press note released to the media informed that women activists from Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network were also present in the court. Binalakshmi Nepram, Founder Manipur Women Gun Survivors Network and Secretary-General, Control Arms Foundation of India stated “There are growing incidences of violence against women and especially against women from the North East living in Delhi. We will not let the culprit go free on bail and will fight till justice is done.”
“It’s a very unfortunate incident that resulted in the death of Ramchanphy Hongray but having faith in the judicial system, I am confident that justice would be done” said Riju Raj Jamwal, Advocate & founder Control Arms Foundation of India.
“I hope that the accused will be punished and the compensation we are seeking will be given to us at the earliest” stated elder sister of Hongray.
