TURA, Sept 7: The shocking death of a young Garo girl who committed suicide in Delhi and which was given various angles by some local media groups from Garo Hills has been strongly condemned by the Garo community members from Delhi who helped in her last rites.
Hamera G Momin of Adokgre, North Garo Hills, who was found hanging inside her rented house in Delhi on September 2nd was finally laid to rest in a cemetery in Dwarka, Delhi, on September 6th in the presence of members of Meghalaya house, police and the Special Police Unit for north Eastern Region (SPUNER), New Delhi.
Some local media news channels operating from the Youtube and other social media platforms had gone overboard claiming she was murdered and her brother missing in the national capital. There were even stories flashed across social media that the family had sent a considerable sum of money for repatriation of her body to Kharkutta.
One particular news channel posting itself as ‘Mixed Garo Channel’ has been identified as the main culprit spreading false stories on the case.
“All these stories are untrue because we were there from the time her body was taken to hospital and till the time of her burial yesterday evening (Tuesday). There is no money involved and in fact it was because of financial crunch she was laid to rest in the cemetery in Dwarka. Even the story about murder cannot even be claimed because police are investigating the case and post mortem report is not public,” informed two state employees who helped with the funeral. One of the men, a state government employee from Adokgre was specifically tasked with her identification.
“These so-called Garo news channels are putting up one story after another without even verifying with the authorities. First they said she was murdered, then a claim that money was sent to transport the body back to Meghalaya and lastly that her brother has also disappeared in Delhi. All these are false stories,” said the government staffer who attended her funeral.
While the death of Hamera Momin is being investigated, the money transfer has been found to be untrue and the disappearance of her cousin brother Walseng has also been termed false.
The family of the girl is reportedly living with the bare minimum, father works as a labourer and mother works in a tea stall, which was the reason they could not arrange for the costs to bring her body back.
“We were able to complete the process of taking her body from the hospital morgue and complete the funeral thanks to the active help and participation by the Special Police Unit for Northeast Region, the officials of Meghalaya House, the Delhi A’chik Christian Fellowship, Meghalaya police, and the Delhi A’chik Association. In fact even the coffin for the victim was provided by the Special Police Cell for Northeast Region (SPUNER),” informed the two state government employees who were given the task of completing the necessary work.
