Nithari remembers its children

NOIDA: One year after the Nithari killings came to light, the infamous D-5 bungalow is a desolate place, much in contrast to the large crowd that had gathered here, drawn by news of the shocking uncovering of the sexual abuse and murder of children.
    
While no one was allowed anywhere near the bungalow that was barricaded and guarded by policemen, the families of the victims performed a `havan' in memory of the children near the infamous address.
    
Police had made elaborate arrangements, including posting a riot vehicle, and only the families of the victims were allowed to participate in the `havan'.
    
Exactly a year ago, skulls and other bones were recovered from behind the bungalow that later came to be known as the `House of Horrors'.
    
The bones were those of children from Nithari village who had gone missing.
    
The owner of the bungalow, businessman Moninder Singh Pandher, and his servant Surinder Koli, were arrested for the killings. The matter is being investigated by the CBI.
    
The families have, however, expressed dissatisfaction with the probe, charging the investigating agency with being soft on Pandher.
    
"The CBI is giving a clean chit to Pandher when he has initially confessed of having raped and murdered children," said Ram Kishan, a resident of Nithari, whose child was among the victims.
    
The inhabitants of Nithari village, who eke out a living by doing odd jobs like selling scrap, rickshaw pulling, selling grocery and as labourers, say that it is now their way of life to be questioned by journalists, NGO volunteers and people from various social organisations.
    
"There is nothing that we have to say now. We just have to live with what has happened," said Gujari, a resident of the village.
    
Some people who sip tea at a tea stall, metres away from the D-5 bungalow, complain the incident has brought a bad name to Nithari and want the accused to be punished.
    
Moni, a ten-year-old girl, said she "plays all over the place but her mother has asked not to go to the main road", where Pandher's bungalow stands.
    
Her friends Vijeta and Swapnil say that they only know that something 'bad' has happened in the bungalow and they have been told by their elders not to talk to any stranger.
    
A young woman, who has two daughters and a son said, "We are extra alert now regarding our children. All the neighbours keep a check on every child".