Unnao rape survivor set ablaze, 5 held

Lucknow, December 5

A rape survivor from Unnao received 90 per cent burns after being set ablaze by her alleged rapists while on way to court for a hearing today. Battling for life, she was airlifted to New Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital.

Inspector General (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar said all five accused who set her ablaze had been arrested. He said the case would be investigated by the IG (Lucknow Range) and speedy justice would be ensured through a fast-track court.  Two of the five accused, Shubham and Shivam Dwivedi, were released on bail two days ago. The other accused are Shubham’s father Ram Kishore, Harishankar and Umesh Bajpai.

The incident occurred in the wee hours today at Hindu Nagar under Bihar police station as the survivor was going to board a train for Rae Bareli where her rape case was being heard. She had complained of being gangraped in December 2018, but could get her FIR lodged only in March 2019. 

Shubham and Shivam along with the three other accused allegedly accosted her in a field near the village, poured kerosene and set her ablaze. The panic-stricken villagers informed the police, who rushed her to the Unnao district hospital. The doctors there referred her to Lucknow from where she was airlifted to New Delhi. In her statement, the rape survivor has again named the two accused. 

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that the rape survivor’s treatment be carried out at government cost. DGP OP Singh said every effort would be made to save the rape survivor.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Adityanath for allegedly lying regarding the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. “Seeing such incidents occur on a daily basis saddens one’s heart. BJP leaders should now come out of their false propaganda,” she tweeted.

Earlier, another Unnao minor had hit headlines in 2017 after allegedly being gangraped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates. A case was not registered and the minor’s father was allegedly implicated in a false case and died of beating in police custody. 

Following public outcry, the Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI probe and Sengar was arrested. In July this year, the rape survivor’s car was mysterious hit, killing two of her aunts and seriously injuring her and her lawyer. Both were airlifted to AIIMS on court orders.

Following this the Supreme Court transferred the case to Delhi and ordered for a safe home for the rape survivor and her family. Sengar is now lodged in Tihar jail. — TNS

Amit Shah, Yogi lied on up’s situation

Union Home Minister (Amit Shah) and Chief Minister (Yogi Adityanath) on Wednesday lied that law and order in UP has become good. — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress Gen Secy