Tension prevails in Ramkot area of Sitapur district where a minor girl was allegedly gang-raped by about half a dozen youths belonging to another community.
The girl had left the house to attend the call of nature on Sunday evening, when five youths forcibly dragged her to a field and gang-raped her.
On getting information about the incident, the police sent the minor to the district hospital for medical treatment. On the complaint of the family members, the police started investigating the matter.
The victim’s brother alleged that the son of Nisar, a resident of Devansh Nagar Kisan Court, and his four accomplices forcibly dragged his sister to the field and raped her. Based on the complaint of the family members, the police arrested three accused. Raids were being conducted in search of two accused.
Reports further said that some Hindu organisations also mobilised after the name of the Muslim youth came to the fore in this incident. They are said to have given an ultimatum of 48 hours to the police for the arrest of all the accused and to initiate stern action against them. They allege that for the last several days, the victim was continuously being harassed by the accused.
Finding the incident taking a communal angle, senior officers deployed a heavy police force and were monitoring the situation to avert any untoward incident.
Superintendent of Police Ghule Sushil Chandrabhan also reached the spot and claimed that three minors and two adults were said to be involved in the crime. He said that three accused were arrested and efforts were on to nab the remaining two.
In another incident, another 15-year-old minor was allegedly raped by a man in the Sehramau area of Pilibhit, police said on Monday.
The girl’s mother filed a complaint with the police, alleging that her daughter was forcibly taken to a mango orchard by a man and raped there, said Kant Kumar Sharma, Station House Officer of Sehramau police station.
An FIR under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was registered against the accused on Sunday evening, he said.
Meanwhile, a 55-year-old man received critical burn injuries after his son set him on fire in Pilibhit.
According to reports, Aijaz Nabi, a resident of Pilibhit district, was allegedly set on fire by his 27-year-old son Azad Nabi when he objected to his son illegally connecting the electricity line to their house after it had been disconnected by the electricity department a day ago over non-payment of bills, police said on Monday.
According to the police, Azad set Aijaz on fire after pouring diesel on him.
The passers-by rescued the victim and informed the police.
Aijaz was shifted to the district hospital by the police where doctors said he sustained serious burn injuries.
The victim, who works as a scrap dealer, alleged that his son was supported by his mother and wife. He added that all his family members except for his younger son, Fariyad, 25, wanted to kill him because he never accepted their unfair practices. His elder son first manhandled him at home, and vandalised the house in a fit of rage. Later, when the victim left the house to call his younger son for help, he was set on fire midway, Aijaz said.
Station House Officer of Pilibhit Kotwali police station, Naresh Tyagi, said that the police were waiting for a written complaint in the matter for registering an FIR. The doctors at the hospital said that the victim had suffered serious burn injuries on both the hands, arms and the left side of his body and was undergoing treatment.
