Anjali was dragged for 13 km by the Baleno, men fully aware of her being dragged, indicating a “planned murder.” says Dr. Bhupender.
Anjali started working after dropping out of class 9. She earned around Rs 15,000 a month, and her mother was being treated for her kidney disease from the salary. Her 14-year-old sister said: “She provided for me and my brother’s school fees and was our only hope.”
Anjali was the sole earning member of the family and took care of her family. Rahul Bedawat, who lives three houses away from Anjali’s, said, “We saw her go to work every day… There has been a lapse of security on the part of the police.”
A relative of the accused in the Kanjhawala case remembers the fateful night, Anu Kumar (24). Anjali’s aunt who lives near her house, said, “We didn’t know much about her profession, but she was earning solely to sustain her family, and that is what matters.” She also said, “She started working after dropping out of class 9. She earned around Rs 15,000 a month, and her mother was being treated for her kidney disease from the salary.”
Anjali’s 14-year-old sister said: “She provided for me and my brother’s school fees and was our only hope.”
Shivani, another aunt, said that while police were deployed in the neighborhood today, “they failed to deploy the same force during the time of the incident”.
Police and doctor declare a case of planned murder
The car occupants knew she was stuck, but they deliberately kept driving even after hearing her screams, her friend says.
Dr. Bhupender of Maulana Azad Medical College, which conducted the autopsy, said: “The postmortem report makes it clear that the death was not on account of a single hit, which you could call an accident. It was due to constant dragging for 13 km, indicating a planned murder.”
In the Delhi horror, the autopsy report reveals her brain matter was missing, her skull cavity was open, her spine was fractured, and there were a total of 40 injuries — such horrific and grave injuries are mentioned in the autopsy report of 23-year-old Anjali Singh.
Anjali’s severe injuries and death happened after she was dragged for several kilometers entangled under a car following her two-wheeler meeting with an accident in the early hours of January 1 in Delhi. A medical board of doctors at the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) conducted her autopsy and informed the Delhi Police of the numerous injuries to Anjali’s body.
The MAMC report informed Delhi Police about the deceased’s missing “brain matter”, her ribs exposed from the back of the chest, and the grinding effects on the ribs present with the sharpening of the chest. The report also mentions that there was a fracture in her spine in the lumbar region and says that almost her entire body was smeared with mud and dirt.
Doctors said that shock and hemorrhage as a result of antemortem injury to the head, spine, left femur, and both lower limbs.
“All injuries collectively can cause death in the ordinary course of nature. However, injury to the head, spine, long bones, and other injuries can cause death independently and collectively in the ordinary course of nature. All injuries produced by blunt force impact and possible with vehicular accident and dragging. However, final opinion will be given after receipt of chemical analysis and biological sample reports,” a source said.
She was killed in the early hours of January 1 after her scooter was hit by a speeding Baleno. Her body was found in the Kanjhawala area and all the five accused were sent to three-day police custody on Monday. The autopsy report mentions multiple other injuries on her body but rules out sexual assault.
The medical board said it has preserved routine viscera for chemical analysis, blood on gauze piece and torn jeans of the victim.
Anjali’s friend, Nidhi
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chief Swati Maliwal criticized Anjali’s friend, Nidhi for deserting her and not reaching out for help for her. She said Anjali`s friend, Nidhi allegedly ran away from the incident site and did not speak to anyone about the horrific accident. Demanding a probe against her, the DCW chief took to Twitter and said, “Anjali`s friend is telling while sitting in the LIVE show how the boys ran over Anjali in front of her and this “friend” got up from there and went to her home. What kind of friend is this? She didn`t stop the boys, didn`t tell the police or any of Anjali`s relatives… went and sat in the house. This also needs to be investigated.”
Nidhi said, “My friend was screaming in pain after getting stuck in the wheels of a Baleno on New Year’s morning. The car occupants knew she was stuck, but they kept driving,” the friend of 23year-old Anjali who died after being.
Speaking on the chilling details of the calamity, Nidhi, riding pillion with Anjali on that fateful day, said they escaped hitting a truck once but then crashed into a car a few meters away.
The car occupants knew she was stuck, but they deliberately kept driving. They went ahead, then reversed, and then sped away. She was screaming. I sustained minor injuries and fled out of fear,” said the victim’s friend, who recorded her statement with the Delhi Police today.
The girl said they had fought over who would ride the scooter, and Anjali had insisted she would. Claiming the victim was drunk, the sole eyewitness told the media they had argued about the matter outside the hotel where they had gone to celebrate New Year’s Eve. “We left the hotel around 1.45 am. Anjali insisted on riding, saying it was her scooter. She was drunk.”
“She threatened to jump off the scooter if she was prevented from riding,” the girl said on a day when the autopsy report of the victim ruled out sexual assault and established “shock and hemorrhage caused by injuries to the head, spine, left femur and both lower limbs; and blunt force and vehicular dragging as the provisional cause of death”.
Bhim Army president Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan visited the victim’s family and demanded that a murder charge be added against the accused. He also questioned how such an incident can take place amidst heavy policing in the city on New Year’s Eve.
Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal declared a Rs 10 lakh compensation for Anjali Singh’s family, “I spoke to the mother of the victim. Justice will be done. We will get the best of lawyers. Her mother has been unwell. We will make sure she gets the proper treatment. Her family will be given compensation of Rs 10 lakh. The government stands with the family of the victim. If they need anything in the future, we will meet the need,” he tweeted.
The chilling facts leading to Anjali’s murder are similar to Nirbhaya’s tragic murder, but minus the rape, equivalent in brutality and intent to murder.