Mobile internet suspension extended in Bhiwani after outrage over Haryana teacher's death

Chandigarh: The last rites of a 19-year-old teacher, whose death will be probed by the CBI, were held in Bhiwani on Thursday. Manisha's body was found in a field in Bhiwani on August 13. She had gone missing on August 11 after leaving the school, purportedly to enquire about admission at a nursing college. On Thursday, the Haryana government extended the suspension of mobile internet, bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided on mobile networks except voice calls in the Bhiwani district for 24 hours from 11 am.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had said that based on the demand of the woman teacher's family, the government would hand over the probe into her death to the CBI. After a third autopsy was conducted at AIIMS, Delhi on Wednesday afternoon, her body reached Bhiwani late last evening. Earlier, the post-mortem examinations had been conducted at the Bhiwani Civil Hospital and the PGIMS Hospital in Rohtak.

On Thursday morning, her last rites were conducted with a large number of people in her native village Dhani Laxman in Bhiwani attending the cremation. Manisha's father Sanjay was inconsolable as the funeral pyre was lit. Earlier, the Haryana government had ordered the suspension of mobile internet, bulk SMS and dongle services in Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri districts for 48 hours from 11 am on Tuesday amid public outrage over the death of the teacher. On Thursday, the government extended the suspension of mobile internet only in the Bhiwani district.

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Internet suspended for 'peace and public order'

According to the order issued by Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Sumita Misra, "This order is being extended to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order only in the jurisdiction of district Bhiwani for next 24 hours, that is from 11 am of August 21." Earlier, the teacher's death caused massive outrage, with people blocking roads in the district, and the opposition parties, including the Congress, demanding a CBI probe.

The residents, who had been sitting on a protest at the Dhani Laxman village in Bhiwani, had formed a committee to spearhead their dharna. They had urged the government for a probe by the CBI and an autopsy of the deceased at AIIMS, Delhi. On Tuesday, the residents said their protest would continue indefinitely till their demands were met. After the demand was accepted, the dharna was lifted.

On Monday, police had claimed that the investigations pointed to the teenager dying by suicide by ingesting poison. While protests over the teacher's death raged on and politicians waded into the matter, alleging breakdown of law and order, the emergence of a "suicide note" in the death case on Monday turned the investigation on its head. However, her father had on Tuesday rejected the finding and refused to cremate the body, demanding "justice".

"The administration is saying that my daughter committed suicide, but I can say that she can never commit suicide. I want justice," he said. The opposition parties had flayed the BJP-led state government, claiming that the alleged murder was proof of a "breakdown of law and order" under the saffron party. Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the role of the state government and the police had been "negligent and irresponsible", and an "unfortunate attempt is being made to prove the whole case as a suicide".

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. Those in distress or having suicidal thoughts or tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling 9820466726 or visiting AASRA’s official website or can call iCALL on 9152987821. Here are some more helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.