Bhiwani Teacher's Death Prompts CBI Probe and Internet Suspension

Chandigarh, Aug 21 (PTI) - The last rites of a young 19-year-old teacher named Manisha, whose tragic death is now the subject of a CBI investigation, were conducted in Bhiwani on Thursday. Manisha's body had been discovered in a field in Bhiwani on August 13, following her disappearance on August 11 after she left her school to purportedly inquire about admission at a nursing college. On Thursday, the Haryana government took the step of extending the suspension of mobile internet, bulk SMS (excluding for banking and mobile recharges), and all mobile network dongle services except for voice calls in the Bhiwani district for an additional 24 hours starting from 11 am. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini announced that, in response to the family's request, the investigation into the woman's death would be handed over to the CBI. After a third autopsy was carried out at AIIMS, Delhi, on Wednesday afternoon, her body was returned to Bhiwani late in the evening. Prior post-mortems had been performed at the Bhiwani Civil Hospital and the PGIMS Hospital in Rohtak. A large gathering of people attended her cremation on Thursday morning in her native village, Dhani Laxman in Bhiwani. Manisha's father, Sanjay, was inconsolable as the funeral pyre was lit. Previously, the Haryana government had ordered the suspension of mobile internet, bulk SMS, and dongle services in the Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts for 48 hours starting at 11 am on Tuesday amidst widespread public outrage over the teacher’s death. On Thursday, the government extended the internet suspension solely in the Bhiwani district. In an order issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Sumita Misra, she stated, "This order is being extended to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order only in the jurisdiction of district Bhiwani for the next 24 hours, that is from 11:00 hrs of August 21." The teacher's death had ignited massive outrage, leading to people blocking roads in the district and political opposition, including the Congress, clamoring for a CBI probe. Residents, who had been protesting at the Dhani Laxman village in Bhiwani, formed a committee to spearhead the protest demanding a CBI investigation and an autopsy of the deceased at AIIMS, Delhi. On Tuesday, protesters declared they would not halt their protest until their demands were addressed; once they were met, the protest ceased. On Monday, police suggested the teenager's death was a result of suicide by ingesting poison. As protests and political involvement persisted over the teacher's death, the emergence of a "suicide note" surfaced, altering the direction of the investigation. Nevertheless, her father dismissed the suicide claim on Tuesday and refused to proceed with the cremation, insisting on "justice." "The administration is claiming that my daughter committed suicide, but I assert she could never take her own life. I demand justice," he said. Opposition parties criticized the BJP-led state government, regarding the alleged murder as evidence of a "breakdown of law and order" under the current regime. Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda accused the state government and police of being "negligent and irresponsible," suggesting there was an "unfortunate attempt to portray the case as a suicide."

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