Meher's killers have political backing: Atal

Lucknow (UP): Former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee was in Lucknow on Tuesday to offer his condolences to the Bhargava family.

He said that the Uttar Pradesh government will have to give a suitable reply as to why Meher Bhargava's murder investigation had not yet been completed.

"We will make a memorial in rememberance of Mehar Bhargava," he stated.

He also said that the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh was extremely grave and would have to be seriously looked into.

"I have talked to the Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav about this case and think that there may be some political involvement. The state government should not hesitate in taking Central support in the investigation," he added.

Meher Bhargava was shot in cold blood when she was objected to the lewd remarks passed by four young men on her daughter-in-law.

Her murder woke up the residents of Lucknow as the case has been turning out to be another one like the Jessica Lall case.

Friends and family members held a candlelight protest march in Lucknow on Monday to keep up the pressure on the government to hunt her killers down.

Meher's family says that despite the fact that the women screamed for help, no one stopped, and even policemen looked away.

The four men are reportedly connected to a Samajwadi party leader.

Meher was in coma for nearly a month when she finally succumbed to her injuries at the Apollo hospital in New Delhi on Saturday.

The Director General of Uttar Pradesh police says that a special task force has been put onto the case.

Meher was the wife of Congress party member Luv Bhargava. The party has accused Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh of not doing enough to nab Meher's killers.

Even after a month the Lucknow police is yet to arrest the prime accused. They have just begun to put the loose ends together after sustained pressure from all quarters.

Raids have been conducted in Pithoragarh in Uttranchal and several parts of Uttar Pradesh, but there's still no clue on the whereabouts of the main accused-- Sachin Pahari and Amit.

The police now acknowledge lapses in the initial pahese of the investigation.

UP Chief Minister Mulayam Singh has assured prompt action, following which KD Singh, the man who owns the flat where the killers were drinking liqour is behind bars.

The slow progress in police investigations has eroded all hopes of Meher's family in UP police, who are now demanding a CBI probe.