Bulandshahr Gangrape: 3 Accused Sent to Custody, SSP Replaced

A group of bandits dragged a mother and her 13-year-old daughter to a nearby field and gangraped them on Saturday.

Candle light march for the rape survivor Shraddha by students in Aurangabad. (Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Tulsidas Bhoite)

On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked for a report on the Bulandshahr gangrape from the Uttar Pradesh government.

Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo, Mayawati demanded a “personal explanation” from current CM Akhilesh Yadav on whether “he would be able to return the lost honour of the victims” who were gangraped on early Saturday morning near Bulandshahr.

This incident has made it clear that UP has no law and order, but <i>jungle raaj. </i>If the Chief Minister cannot handle the state, he should step down. This is my advice.

Mayawati, BSP Chief

The Uttar Pradesh police, on Sunday detained 17 tribal people in connection with the gangrape of a 35-year-old woman and her 13-year-old daughter, on early Saturday morning near Bulandshahr bypass on Delhi-Kanpur National Highway-91.

Three of the accused have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days. The three suspects have been identified as Shawed, a resident of Dehpa, Hapur, Rahees, a resident of Sutari, Bulandshahr and Jabar Singh, a resident of Noida.

Facing flak from opposition, the government had suspended seven officers, including the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP).

Following the suspension of SSP of Bulandshahr Vaibhav Krishna after the gangrape, Anees Ahmad Ansari was appointed as the new SSP.

NCW member Rekha Sharma said that the doctor in-charge of the rape case has been summoned for questioning, as the victims complained of his insensitivity towards them.

When they went for check up, she (doctor) wasn’t ready to check them and wanted to shoo them (victims) away.

Rekha Sharma, Member of NCW

The victims told an IANS reporter that they walked to the police station after walking for 5 or 6 km but the police’s response remained apathetic. The women were not given proper medical treatment and there was no provision for counsellors.

A special task force has been set up comprising 300 officials from Ghaziabad, Noida, Hapur and Meerut who have a previous record in dealing with tribal criminals. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asked for the team to have the perpetrators arrested within 24 hours. An FIR under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code has been filed.

According to a Hindustan Times report, the seven suspended officer include:

• Bulandshahr senior superintendent of police (SSP) Vibhav Krishna
  
• Superintendent of police(city) Ram Mohan Singh
  
• Circle officer (city) Himanshu Gaurav
  
• Inspector in-charge (Kotwali Dehat) Ram Sen Singh
  
• Police outpost (highway) in-charge Pramod Kumar
  
• Highway patroling in-charge Rustam
  
• Beat constable Anurag Yadav
  

Sequence of Events

The incident took place when the family of six from Noida was headed to Shahjahanpur in a car.

A group of bandits employed a ruse to stop the car, creating an obstacle that made it seem the car had a defect, and when the driver stopped to check, gang members burst out and held the family at gun-point, suspended SSP Vaibhav Krishna said.

They were also looted of their cash, jewellery and mobile phones, he said. One of the family members, who managed to untie the ropes, reported the matter to police, Krishna said.

They victims saw a police patrol vehicle pass through the highway but could not shout for help due to the presence of the armed criminals.

The DGP of UP police, Javeed Ahmad, also said that three of the accused had been identified by the family.

The state opposition attacked Yadav on Sunday, alleging goonda raj was at its peak in Uttar Pradesh.

Akhilesh Yadav’s Govt Under Fire

Taking cognisance of the case, the National Commission for Women (NCW) said it has sent a member to meet the victims and officials in Uttar Pradesh but added that it finds little cooperation from the state administration in such cases.

BSP, BJP and Congress targeted the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the poll-bound state and demanded that it step down.

Hitting out at the Akhilesh Yadav government, Union Minister Mahesh Sharma said:

When will this end? It shows that the state government has collapsed on every front. They cannot save the honour of a daughter. It is shameful and they should step down.

BSP leader Sudhindra Bhadoria questioned the law and order situation in the state and said:

It is shameful that the UP government did not act fast enough to protect the dignity of women and common citizens. The complete lawlessness in UP proves the point that <i>goonda raj</i> under Akhilesh Yadav has reached its peak. Mothers, daughters... nobody is safe in UP.

(With inputs from IANS, PTI and the Hindustan Times)