Congolese nationals seek justice for compatriot

Hyderabad: A group of African nationals, including some Congolese nationals living in Hyderabad, staged a protest at Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) police station on Thursday against the murder of a Congolese woman by her husband.

Tens of African nationals gathered at the police station carrying placards to protest the heinous act of Rupesh Kumar Mohanani (36), who had killed his wife Cynthia Vechel (35) by throttling her late on Monday night. The protestors displayed placards written in French and English. They demanded that the Indian government deliver justice to the family of the deceased woman at the earliest.

Mohanani had chopped Cynthia’s body into pieces and burnt it at a secluded place in Madanpalli in Shamshabad limits on Monday. Rupesh was arrested by the RGIA police on Tuesday under Sections 302 and 201 of the IPC and was sent to judicial custody.

Tense moments were witnessed at the RGIA police station on Thursday as the African nationals were reluctant to halt their protest and forced their way into the police station premises after arguing with the sentry. However, police did not detain any of them.

Some officials from the Embassy of Congo also met the police officials demanding that they handover Cynthia’s remains to them so that they can send them to her family members in Congo. They also asked for the custody of Cynthia’s daughter Sania, but the girl wanted to stay with her paternal grandparents.

So we pacified them and sent them away,” Shamshabad inspector K Umamaheshwar said, adding that the remains of Cynthia were still at Osmania General Hospital mortuary and no decision had been taken yet about it. “We will file a chargesheet in the court at the earliest and ensure justice to everybody,” the inspector said.