Date:08/04/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/04/08/stories/2007040804820500.htm

Karnataka - Bijapur

Body of girl `sacrificed' by father, uncles exhumed

Staff Correspondent

Five of the six accused have been arrested

BIJAPUR: The body of Yasmeen Moulasab Nimbal, a 14-year-old girl from Aheri village near here, who was reportedly sacrificed by her father and uncles in pursuit of a hidden treasure, was on Saturday exhumed for post-mortem, even as the police arrested five of the six accused.

Post-mortem

Besides an inquest, the post-mortem of the body was conducted by government doctors at the burial ground at the village amid tight security. Superintendent of Police Seemanth Kumar Singh; Additional Superintendent of Police S. Shivanand; tahasildar S.S. Dhale; Hashimpeer Walikar, secretary of State Human Rights Forum; and Babina Nagaral, an adviser to Women Aid Cell of State Women Rights Commission at the District Family Court; were present at the proceedings. The post-mortem report is yet to be released.

According to Mehaboobi Nimbal, the mother of the victim, her husband Moulasab Nimbal and his elder brother Razaksab Nimbal, a witchcraft practitioner, killed her daughter with the help of four other brothers in the belief that such this would help them unearth a hidden treasure in the vicinity.

According to Ms. Nimbal, the accused committed the crime on "Amavasye" on March 16 when she had gone to her parents' house at Katnalli.

She said the accused did not inform her about the death of Yasmeen and reportedly buried the body before dawn. The accused spread a story that the girl had committed suicide. However, Ishaq, the seven-year-old brother of the victim, who reportedly witnessed the inhuman act by his father and uncles, told his mother about it despite reported threats from his father.

The accused also reportedly threatened to kill Ms. Nimbal if she made the incident public.

However, she approached Bijapur Rural Police on Friday.

The main accused Razaksab Nimbal, and four brothers have been arrested though another accused Moulasab Nimbal (father of the victim) is said to be at large. The incident has shocked people in and around village.

The police said a search was on for Moulasab Nimbal.