A complaint has been filed with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs to take disciplinary action against Ravali Priya IPS, Superintendent of Police of Thanjavur District, for allegedly trying to mislead the investigation of a minor Hindu girl’s suicide who was reportedly subjected to harassment and forced religious conversion.
The complaint filed by the legal activism organization Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), a copy of which has been accessed by The Commune, states that Ravali Priya IPS had organized a press meet on 20 January 2022 and uninvitedly announced that there was no religious conversion angle in the case.
Filed complaint with Union Home Affairs seeking disciplinary action against Superintendent of Police, Thanjavur for misleading investigation process in the case of 'Forced Religious Conversion, Mental & Physical Harassment, thereby Abetment to Suicide' of a Minor Hindu Girl pic.twitter.com/RA86tkIGXo
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) January 21, 2022
“The statement given by the District SP while the investigation is underway and even though there is a strong prima facie available is raising suspicion that the investigation in the case is being misled. The parents of the deceased girl, in their complaint clearly mentioned that their daughter was forced to convert her religion to Christianity and stated that Sister Ms. Rocklin Mary and warden harassed her in this regard.”, the complaint letter addressed to the Union Home Secretary.
The complaint further adds that the investigation of the case is being misled in order to hide the religious conversion angle.
“Hence, we request you to order a thorough enquiry into the matter including the criminal conduct of Superintendent of Police and take suitable legal and disciplinary action against her.”, the complaint said adding that the officer has to be transferred during the investigation period.
Lalita (named changed), a 17 year old girl studying class 12 at Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, a government-aided Christian school located in Michaelpatti villlage near Thirukattupalli in Thanjavur district, committed suicide by drinking pesticide after she was allegedly tortured to convert to Christianity by the school staff.
Thanjavur SP Ravali Priya in a pressmeet said that there is no proof of forceful conversion of the minor girl. She said that the girl’s statement to the police makes no mention of forced conversion. She has also threatened to take action on those who had shared the video of the girl on social media.
However she had now said that the police are investigating all angles, including the allegation that Lalita was facing pressure to convert to Christianity.
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