Where’s justice for the survivor?

The Unnao case highlights the flaws in UP’s law and order

PMLA brother, and turns. Kuldeep the The ersistent finally constitute Unnao case latest then Singh has prompted rape taken a is media a minor, Sengar the case. Special many death the attention In alleged and Investigation the Yogi twists of nine the his Adityanath that and months she public Team was since government raped anger to the probe by survivor, have BJP the to survivor’s MLA’s allegedly Autopsy supporters father reports after in isn’t hospital being showed clear). beaten after that The he (whether he father’s was died taken of arrest by shock into the came and police judicial septicaemia, after or custody. the the survivor MLA’s residence brother attempted after has to now failing immolate been to arrested secure herself justice. and outside the The the police fact chief say that minister’s they the have were doing evidence all this against time him when raises the survivor the question was trying as to what so hard they to just file an FIR. Contrary to the routine procedure in rape cases, no forensic evidence was gathered in this instance and attempts to name her rapist were stymied by the police.

When the Yogi government came to power, it promised that one of its main tasks would be to tackle the law and order situation in the state. The first step for this is to at least ensure that FIRs are filed on time. In the Unnao case, the government seems to have acted only after the onslaught of negative publicity became embarrassing for it. In fact, despite the chief minister’s claims that he has controlled crime in UP, there were an astounding 803 rape cases in the first two months of his tenure. His setting up anti-Romeo squads ostensibly to protect women led to couples being harassed just for being seen together in public.

Instead of focusing on protection, he should also see to it that women get justice for crimes committed against them. The Unnao case should have been prosecuted and concluded by now. The SIT probe, if experience is anything to go by, will take a considerable amount of time to come to a conclusion. Meanwhile, the survivor is no closer to getting justice.