Centre seeks report from UP; will order CBI probe, says Mulayam
Even as the situation in Meerut remained tense on Tuesday over the alleged abduction, gangrape and forced religious conversion of a 20-year-old teacher, the Centre has sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh Government.
In a communication, the Home Ministry has asked the Uttar Pradesh Government to give a detailed factual report on the alleged incident at the earliest. “Since the matter has been raised in the House (lok Sabha), we will seek a report on this incident,” Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju told reporters outside Parliament.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav promised a CBI probe into the case.
Three accused were arrested on Tuesday. “Three people have been arrested in this connection so far,” said Inspector General of Police (law & Order) Amrendra Singh Sengar. The arrested trio, including a cleric named Sallaullah, his wife, and daughter Nishat, are named in the FIR lodged by the victim’s father at Kharkhauda police station.
In the lok Sabha, BJP member Rajinder Aggarwal demanded a CBI probe into the crime. This led to an altercation between BJP and SP members, with the latter protesting against the BJP’s charges.
Some members, including Giriraj Singh, were also heard demanding President’s Rule in Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier, the victim, in her statement to magistrate, said that she was abducted on July 23 and taken to Hapur, where she was gangraped after forced conversion by a cleric and others. later she was shifted to Muzaffarnagar from where she managed to escape. “I was first taken to a Madrasa in Hapur and later moved to Muzaffarnagar. There were many other girls there, but I couldn’t meet them,” said the statement.
Victim’s mother said, “She (victim) was lured by the village leader with the promise of a job. They forcefully converted her (into Islam). She was threatened.”
She also highlighted the delay in the filing of the FIR in the case. “We went to file an FIR, but they refused. After intervention from various organisations, the FIR was filed,” alleged the mother.
Uttar Pradesh BJP president laxmi Kant Bajpai met the family members of the victim on Tuesday. Bahujan Samaj Party Supremo Mayawati said that the party condemned the gruesome incident. “The ruling party must ensure that strict action is taken against those behind this crime,” said Mayawati.