Insensitiveness of the state police force once again led to violent protest when hundreds of local residents and workers of the Bahujan Samaj Party reportedly took rood to protest police inaction which forced a gang rape victim to self-immolate herself.
Demanding immediate arrest of the culprits and action against the guilty cops, the irate mob not only torched several vehicles including that of a local magistrate but also pelted stones, ransacked local police outpost and blocked the highway for several hours. It was only when the cops used force, fired in air and the local district police chief, Deepika Tewari, also assured of proper action, the situation could be only brought under control after which the body of the victim was removed from the road and last rites took place amidst tight security. Deepika Tewari, later informed that two of the accused were also arrested while about a dozen involved in violence have been also taken in custody.
Reports said that local residents of Sikendrarao area of Hathras, who were agitated due to insensitiveness and inaction of the police to arrest the accused involved in gang rape of 22-year-old Sunita (name changed), which also forced the victim to go ahead with self-immolation, had collected and kept the body of the victim and blocked the national highway, on Tuesday morning. When the local cops reached and tried to remove the body, the mob went on rampage and they attacked the cops, ransacked the police outpost and torched several vehicles besides being involved in heavy brick batting. After finding the situation going out of control,local district police chief, Deepika Tewari reached along with heavy police force and had also summoned cops from neighbouring districts and used force to defuse the tense situation. She also ordered to open fire in air to disperse the crowd. later she admitted that the cops had fired in air but said that the move was made in self defense and that no one was injured in the firing. She also denied the allegation of protesters that the victim was also torched by the accused after gang rape and claimed that she committed suicide. However, she said that two of the accused were arrested and remaining will be also accounted for soon. “The situation is tense but under control,” she said while claiming that police was taken stern action against the accused people.
It may be mentioned that in a sensational incident reported from Hathras, a 22-year-old Sunita (name changed), hailing from Purvi Naurangabad under Sikendrarau police station, was gang raped by five youths three of whom were identified as Ishan Qureshi, Wakil, Babulal, all hailing from Paschim Naurangabad. The incident took place when she went to her husband’s home in Etawah on last Saturday. Her father claimed that Savita disclosed her trauma and later she sprinkle kerosene and set her ablaze. He said that he some how doused the fire and rushed her to district hospital where the doctors claimed her condition to be very critical but she later succumbed in the evening. Sources said that the incharge of the Mahila police station also went to hospital and get the statement of the victims recorded in which she disclosed the names of the accused. However, the cops initiated no legal proceedings in the matter which led to violence on Tuesday.
Meanwhile in another sensational incident, a 45-year-old woman was bludgeoned to death just as she resisted a molestation attempt on her daughter, in Meerut. The girl and her maternal grandfather were also injured in the incident. Reports said that one Sitara, hailing from Brahmpuri area of Meerut, was living with her father and two daughters, since she divorced her husband about two decades back. As per the report lodged with the local police, one Raisuddin along with his brother Gyaas, nephew Shaalu, and brother-in-law Nawab, entered victim Sitara’s home and molested her daughter. Sitara tried to resist the accused after which she was attacked by a wooden hammer repeatedly by Raisuddin, following which she was critically injured. The accused also attacked her daughter and father Abdul Rahman who tried to save her. The accused later escaped from the house. Sitara was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was declared dead. A case has been registered against four persons, and prime accused Raisuddin was arrested and hammer used to kill the woman, has been also recovered from him.
Meanwhile a minor girl was allegedly gangraped by two youths while she was sleeping on the roof of her house in Makhanpur area of Ferojabad. The girl, about 16 years old, was sleeping on the terrace of her house on Monday night when neighbours Anil and Sunil jumped there from the adjoining house and allegedly gang-raped her. The girl later informed her family members about the incident following which they lodged an FIR with the police. Both the accused, who are in their early thirties, have been arrested.