'Starvation deaths': Girls' father would usually go away for 3-4 days in search of jobs, say police

The father of the three girls, who allegedly died of starvation in east Delhi's Mandawali on Tuesday, would usually go away for three-four days in search of jobs and then return, the police said today.

A senior police officer said the police have formed teams to trace Mangal, the father of the three minor girls.

On July 24, the three girls, aged two, four and eight, were taken to the Lal Bahadur Shashtri hospital by their mother and a family friend where they were declared brought dead.

The girls' father, a casual labourer, had left on the morning of July 24 for finding work and has not returned since. Police are on the lookout for him and he will be questioned in connection with the matter.

Police said the girl's father used to leave home in search of jobs for three-four days and return eventually.

The family of the deceased girls' belongs to West Bengal. They were staying here in Mandawali at the residence of their friend Narayan. The father had lost employment after the autorickshaw he used to drive on rent had been stolen.

Police has learnt that no cases of auto theft have been reported in any of the police stations so far. Police said that if someone had stolen the autorickshaw, then a complaint should have been registered.

Police said the father of the girls was an alcoholic and in an inebriated state would sometimes leave his auto at random spot, and find it later after gaining consciousness.

Police are trying to trace someone who could lead them to Mangal's village in West Bengal. Police said only after the father comes back, they will be able tell as to for how many days the girls had not eaten and since when they were unwell.

The initial postmortem report suggested that they died due to starvation and had not eaten for over a week.