No end of grief for families of Nithari murder victims

The grisly Nithari serial killings that have sent shockwaves throughout the nation took a new turn with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) recovering 40 more polythene bags containing "bio–materials" and human bones from the drain behind the Noida house of alleged serial killers and pedophiles Moninder Singh Pandher and his servant Surendra Koli, renewing fears in the hearts of villagers in Nithari whose children have gone missing for years.

The recoveries are in addition to the 21 skulls and bones found earlier – 18 by the Noida police and 3 by the CBI when it took over the case last week.

According to sources close to the development, the CBI had also recovered nearly a dozen bundles with parts of human torsos last week.

The new recoveries have given rise to fear that the gruesome twosome – Pandher and Koli – had indulged in a macabre orgy – raping and killing the children that had gone missing from the village.

The CBI feels that the latest discovery reduces the possibility of organ trade being the prime motive in the murders of children and women by Pandher and his servant Koli.

However, some medical experts have challenged this new CBI theory, saying discovery or non–discovery of torsos has noting to do with the possibility of organ trade.

"Organ transplant is a highly specialized field. It requires at least half a dozen doctors to carry out the operation for the purpose, besides the huge medical infrastructure. Additionally, an organ for transplantation cannot be taken out of a dead body," said Dr. Anil Bansal, member of Delhi Medical Council.

"On the basis of mere discovery or non–discovery of torsos, one cannot rule out or confirm organ trade," he added.

The CBI sources said the bundles were found tied in polythene bags during search of the drain near Pandher's D–5 house.

Incidentally, the Noida police had been unable to discover any human torso during the searches of Pandher's house and the drain that began December 29. The missing torsos had raised suspicion that Pandher and Koli might have been involved in illegal organ trade and had disposed of the body parts.

CBI sources said interrogation of Surendra Koli till now has led the agency to the preliminary conclusion that he is a psychopath, deriving macabre pleasure in killing hapless victims.

The CBI is also questioning Pandher to ascertain his role in the number of killings inside his house.

Earlier, Surendra Koli, the co–accused in the serial killings in Noida's Nithari village, had "admitted" that he was behind the grisly murders during a narco–analysis test conducted on him, a source in the Directorate of Forensic Sciences (DFS) at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, said.

Though the narco–analysis and brain–mapping tests conducted on Moninder Singh Pandher and Surendra Koli have failed to establish that the accused were cannibals, the experts have concluded that Koli is a psychopath who tortured children after sexually abusing them.

The source, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Koli's "admissions" during the tests indicate he used to rape and kill children as an "ego–satisfying habit" as he was sexually deprived and feared that he was becoming impotent.

Koli, under the influence of the "truth serum," also said that he saw his employer entertaining several prostitutes at his house in Noida where skeletal remains of several children were found by police last month.

The accused made some "admission" regarding the murder of a Noida–based sex worker Payal, whose missing cell phone led police to the skeletal remains.

DFS sources said Koli had "admitted" to systematically chopping the bodies of the children, including minor girls, after killing them and having sex with their dead bodies, and dumping them in the drain behind Pandher's house on several occasions.

Koli's narco–analysis test was conducted on January 8 by a panel of forensic experts, including psychologists, psychiatrists, anaesthetists and doctors, while Pandher's test was conducted the following day.

However, Koli's admission regarding the role of Pandher in the killings was unclear and officials were tight–lipped about this matter. Koli, who has repeatedly claimed that Pandher had no hand in the killings, is being suspected of trying to protect his employer.

Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh Government has announced compensation amount of Rs. 5 lakh for the families of the victims of the Nithari serial killings.

However, it was little comfort for those who have lost their loved ones in Nithari. They are now awaiting only one thing that can bring them some relief: Justice.

"I have nothing to say or hold on to except my daughter's photograph. The compensation amount cannot bring back my happiness, my child. Everything in this house reminds me of her. I can hear her call out for help when I sleep at night. She never harmed anyone, then why did they do this to her?" questioned Bandana Sarkar, mother of 20–year–old victim Pinki. "It is good that the government has thought of giving us relief, but had they acted in time, it would have saved many lives. I only pray that the proceedings give the correct results soon so that all those behind the gruesome killings are punished."

Similar is the condition of many mothers who have lost their children. "We heard of the camp set up by NGOs for trauma counseling and had come here to have a look. But since it is a holiday, no one has come. We were only given ration and biscuits by the church people who came. We are happy that people are coming to help us. Ever since my son went missing, I had left my job to search for him," said Sonia Bibi, mother of 10–year–old Sheikh Raja. "I thought that he must have gone somewhere and would surely return some day. But now there is no hope left. I never wanted ill of anyone, then why did they kill my innocent child?"

"We welcome the help from people. We are left with no funds to fulfill even our basic needs. Our condition is really bad and I would get peace only when I see the murderers meet their ends," she said.

"What will I do with this money; my niece died in my custody. I don't know how to face my sister," said James, uncle of Nisha, another victim. "I am waiting for her to come. I feel sad that I could not take care of her. I pray each day that the guilty are sent to the gallows so that everyone learns a lesson from this."

"The administration just wants us to keep shut and take whatever compensation they dole out. We don't want that, either they should tell us what happened to our wards or just simply hand over Moninder Singh to us," said Sita Devi, from Kondli, whose 15–year–old son has been missing for the last nine months said.

"I recognized the chappal (slippers) shown to me by the police but after that the police refused to record my statement and merely told me that they will contact me later. I am still waiting," said Nagendra Yadav, whose 12–year–old son Umesh Kumar went missing two years ago, adding that he has also given four copies of his son's photograph to the police.

The stories of the Brijendra and Vimla Sarkar are also similar. While Brijendra lost his four–and–a–half–year–old daughter Soni, Vimla is looking for her seven–year–old son Rinku.

Vimla identified the clothes of her son among the remains recovered. "I had bought him that dress on Kali Puja (Hindu festival) last year," she said with tears in her eyes.

Meanwhile Padmini Kumar, a resident of Nithari, is collecting the details of such parents and is planning to approach senior police officials.

"There are several such cases in which people have identified their children's clothes and chappals. But their cases have not been registered," Kumar explained.

Meanwhile, the CBI sources have indicated that they could also initiate strong action against some of the Noida police officials for not acting promptly even after the macabre crime came to light.

The parents of the slain children have accused the Noida police of turning a deaf ear to repeated complaints about their offspring going missing. Action was taken against several policemen after around 20 skeletal remains were uncovered.

The Supreme Court has expressed anguish, saying that the Nithari killings could have been averted if the State Government had shown willingness to bring about police reforms. "If checks and balances were there Nithari would not have happened," a Bench headed by outgoing Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal said referring its recent directions for bringing out police reforms.

"One problem in this country has been reluctant to register FIRs and cases, as this would reflect that the State's crime rates is going up," the Bench said.

K.G. Balakrishnan, who succeeded Chief Justice Sabharwal on January 14, was of the view that the police should seriously investigate the mass murder of children in Nithari village in Noida terming it "shocking and a very serious crime."