Notice to Anandpal's family for not cremating body

Jaipur: The Rajasthan government on Sunday issued a notice to gangster Anandpal Singh's family, who have refused to cremate him demanding a CBI inquiry into his death, saying non-disposal of his body could lead to spread of disease, an act which is in violation of law.

The family members continued to keep the body on ice bricks, refusing to cremate him, eight days after he was gunned down by the Rajasthan police in an encounter.

They also tried to arrange a deep freezer to avoid body from decomposing, but failed in their attempt till late evening.

Superintendent of Police Nagaur Paris Anil Deshmukh denied reports that vehicle carrying a deep freezer was not allowed to enter Sanvrad.

He said, "We have not stopped Anandpal's family members from bringing in deep freezer but due to security concerns all documents are being verified before letting any vehicle or individuals to enter."

"All vehicles passing through the check posts are being thoroughly checked," he said.

Ladnun Sub-Divisional Magistrate Uttam Singh Shekhawat today issued a notice to family of Anandpal in violation of prohibitory orders imposed under CrPC section 144 in the town.

"It?s been nine days and the family has not cremated the body despite it being handed over on July 1 after the re- postmortem," Shekhawat told PTI.

According to the notice, various clauses of CrPC provide against showing disrespect to a body and ask people to desist from any such action which could result in it spreading disease. These also prohibit any action using a human corpse which could create a law and order situation.

He said it amounts to violation of CrPC section 144.

"We had asked the family members to meet us through their advocate, if they have any objection till 5 pm today but no one approached us," the SDM said.

Meanwhile, ban on mobile Internet services was extended for next 48 hours as a precautionary measure.

District administration had imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC section 144 and banned internet services on June 30 in several areas of Nagaur district.

Yesterday, police had handed over Anandpal's body to his daughter Yogita Singh and maternal uncle at their hometown in Sanvrad in Nagaur district following a fresh post-mortem, which a local court had ordered after the family moved court.

"In the re-postmortem application, family members had demanded that Supreme Court guidelines on encounter be followed. We followed it and investigation has been handed over to an independent, higher officer under the supervision of IG, Bikaner," Deshmukh told PTI.

Family members have been demanding a CBI inquiry in the encounter and were not accepting the body unless the government refers the case to CBI.

However, after fresh post-mortem at the Churu district hospital, family members yesterday accepted the body and have kept on ice slabs in their home till their demand it met.

"Elaborate security arrangements are in place in Ladnu sub division where the village is situated," the SP said.

Anandpal, who had managed to escape from police custody while being taken back to a high security prison in Ajmer from a court in Nagaur in September 2015, had taken shelter in a house in Churu.

He was killed in an encounter with police on June 24.