Supporters of BJP MLA gherao SIT
The probe team which went to record statement faced large number of MLA’s supporters lining up in support of their leader
UNNAO: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl and the death of her father in judicial custody, reached the rape survivor’s village Makhi in Unnao district on Wednesday, officials said.
The team spoke to the rape survivor and her family members amid a show of strength that supporters of BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar allegedly put up in the village. The girl has accused Sengar and his aides of having raped her last year. The police have already arrested the MLA’s brother Atul Singh Sengar in connection with the death of the girl’s father.
Thousands of people from different parts of the district poured in to the village minutes before the SIT’s arrival. They staged a protest and showed placards, claiming the MLA was innocent. As the protestors gheraoed the SIT, policemen had a tough time enabling the team to reach the rape survivor’s house, people familiar with the development said.
The SIT headed by additional director general (Lucknow zone) Rajiv Krishna reached the Makhi police station at 10.25am. After speaking to the officials for about 20 minutes, the team headed for the village, nearly a kilometre away. During their two hour-long stay, the SIT spoke to the alleged rape survivor and other family members. The security had been kept extremely tight and none was allowed to move within a 100metre radius of the place.
The team visited the spot, where the alleged rape survivor’s father was allegedly assaulted on April 3. The officials also spoke to the 18-year-old woman’s neighbours.
The MLA’s ancestral house is about 60 metres from the alleged rape survivor’s residence.
The people who the SIT spoke to in this stretch refused to comment when approached.
The team later went to Unnao town and questioned six doctors at the Unnao district hospital. Three of these doctors had conducted the post-mortem of the body of the girl’s father.
The others included a doctor, who first examined and admitted him to hospital on April 9 when he was brought from the district jail, and two who treated him during the night.
ADG (Lucknow) Rajiv Krishna said the team was busy preparing an interim report, which it would submit to the government by late Wednesday evening.
In Lucknow, deputy inspector general (law and order) Praveen Kumar said the SIT had recorded the statement of the victim, her family members, local police personnel and doctors of the Unnao district hospital who conducted post-mortem of the body of victim’s father. He said the SIT will submit its preliminary report to the state government soon.
Local people in Makhi said it appeared the news of the SIT’s arrival was leaked well in advance and the MLA’s team managed to bring in a large number of supporters.
The locals who didn’t want to be identified said people were brought in vehicles from Bhagwant Nagar, Bangarmau and Unnao Sadar, the three assembly constituencies that Kuldeep Sengar has represented in his political career.
“The participation of the people of Makhi is negligible; people were gathering since early morning and they were given placards,” the locals said.
A large number of men and women surrounded the team as it entered the village and went near the MLA’s house.
The women, who led the demonstration, shouted slogans against the police and claimed the MLA was innocent.
The MLA’s alleged supporters booed former MP Annu Tandon, who reached Makhi when the SIT was meeting the alleged rape survivor and her family members.
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SIT had recorded the statement of the victim, her family members, local police personnel and doctors of the Unnao district hospital who conducted postmortem of the body of victim’s father
PRAVEEN KUMAR, DIG
The protestors wanted Tandon to go back.
Tandon reasoned with the crowd, saying her visit was apolitical and she was there to meet the victim. “I just pray to the God that the victim gets justice,” she said after meeting the victim and her family.
She said the women were not safe in Unnao and the government had lost its ability to govern.
The MLA’s alleged supporters also stopped a four-member team of the SP women’s wing, comprising Geeta Singh, former minister Janki Pal, Rachna Kori and Geeta Pandey. The team faced abuses. The crowd claimed they were politicising the issue to frame the MLA.
Geeta Pandey said the incident was unfortunate and the SP would hit the streets to ensure justice. The police should have allowed the family to meet the chief minister, she said.