The Tribune, January 24, 2001
Cops 'hushing' up cook's murder case
Tribune News Service
CHANDIGARH, Jan 23 - Mystery shrouds the death of Narayan, a cook of Haryana Agriculture University (HAU), Hisar on the New Year eve. Most of the non-teaching employees, particularly those belonging to Uttaranchal, in HAU are upset over the way the case is being hushed up. They are intrigued over the way the police is trying to shield the real culprits and implicate Gopal, who happens to be the nephew of the deceased.
Narayan went "missing" on December 31 preparing food at a party which was attended by some middle-rung officers and teachers of the university. Narayan's kin maintain that he never returned from the party. Surprisingly the FIR registered by the police does not make any mention of murder. Nor did the police think it necessary to question those who attended the party. Gopal was accompanied by Narayan to the party. While he is an important witness in the case, he is reportedly being threatened not to reveal the real story. This has reportedly led to his statements to the police proving to be incoherent.
The case is being hushed up allegedly at the instance of political higher ups. One of the co-hosts of the party is a middle-rung officer at HAU, who got his present posting, after the Chautala government took over. One of his brothers is said to be close to the Chief Minister. He also happens to be an employee of the university.
Despite massive protests by the non-teaching employees, who struck work for some days, the police is yet to take any action against the real culprits instead it is trying to implicate Gopal.
There are certain details which are allegedly being ignored. The party was hosted in a house which was lying vacant till that time and was allotted to one of the co-hosts. The house was to be painted by the estate department of HAU on January 3, following which the allottee would move in. However, the allottee moved into the house on January 1, itself and did not wait for the house to be painted. He got it painted on his own the same day.
Eyebrows are being raised as why the police is not investigating this angle. Moreover, why people for whom the deceased prepared food for the New Year eve function are not being questioned by the police.
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