Nagpur – The dismissal of twin revision petitions filed by Tehsil Police by the Sessions Court has left the relatives of Mohd Hussain and Mohd Ateef, who were fatally struck on Ram Jhula bridge, devastated.
The families expressed their heartbreak while talking to a local newspaper, highlighting that even petty thieves face a minimum six-month imprisonment, while the prime accused, Ritika Maloo, has not spent a single day in jail due to what they described as the shoddy work of law enforcement officials.
Maloo is accused of running over Hussain and Ateef while under the influence of alcohol on the night of February 25. Despite the severity of the incident, she has evaded imprisonment since the accident.
Ateef’s elder brother, Mohd Atik said that due to blunders by some policemen, we are unable to secure relief from the judiciary. We had begged Police Commissioner Singal to replace the investigation officer, Sandeep Buwa, but our request fell on deaf ears. He maintained that Maloo is not shielded by any legal provision and attributed her continued freedom to the botched investigation.
“Even pickpockets are sentenced to a minimum of six months in jail when police build a watertight case. Here, blood spilled on Ram Jhula bridge, two innocent lives were lost, yet accused Ritika Maloo is enjoying her freedom. We will continue with our struggle for justice, although we are left shell-shocked,” he said.
Activist Zeeshan Siddiqui criticized the Tehsil police, saying, “Tehsil police are continuously shaming humanity. When will Police Commissioner Singal wake up? Two innocent lives were snuffed out. Nagpur police have betrayed public trust. We want the probe to be handed over to the CID as soon as possible,” he said.
The families and activists are calling for immediate action and a thorough investigation to ensure justice is served for the victims of the Ram Jhula bridge tragedy.
