A ray of hope for Ashok Kumar's family

GURUGRAM: The alleged involvement of a 16-year- old in the murder of Pradyuman Thakur may have shocked many. But in Ghamroj village in Sohna, the news was met with a sigh of relief.

In the thick of times, when most people had already pronounced 42-year-old bus conductor Ashok Kumar as a murderer, the village elders supported Kumar's family and did not socially ostracise them.

Their faith and patience finally paid off on Wednesday morning, with a massive turnaround in the case.

Though not yet completely off the hook, there is a distinct possibility that Ashok – who has been in the jail for more than two months – may soon attain his freedom.

Asserting that her husband had been wrongly framed, Kanta Devi beseeched the authorities for the release of her husband.

Co-incidentally, one of Ashok's two sons is of the same age as that of the deceased Pradyuman.

Kanta Devi added that her husband had done his best to save the life of Pradyuman by carrying him to the vehicle, so that he can be sent to the hospital.

"I knew from the beginning that he was innocent. He has never been violent. He has never evene raised his hand on his own children," she said.

Ashok's ailing father Amir Chand also expressed his pleasure over the investigation of the Central Bureau of Investigation, and said that he now expects justice from the system.

Even though Kumar, who had been working in the school for over six months, had earlier confessed to the crime, he later retracted his statement and claimed that he was tortured and injected with some substance and forced to admit to the crime.

His legal counsel, advocate Mohit Verma, had earlier said that based on his interactions with Kumar, he saw that Kumar's face was completely swollen due to being beaten repeatedly by law enforcement officials.

Barun Thakur, Pradyuman's father, had also cast aspersions on the involvement of Kumar alone in the murder and had said that there is more than what meets the eye.