‘Rape victim’ ends life in Gonda after failed suicide bid in Lucknow

LUCKNOW:A 35-year-old ‘rape victim’ committed suicide by hanging herself from the roof of her house in Kernalganj area of Gonda district on Monday, a fortnight after the two rape accused got a clean chit from district police.

In September last year, the victim and her husband had attempted self-immolation outside Vidhan Bhawan in Lucknow to highlight her plight. They then had accused the police of laxity in the investigation.

The victim, a mother of two, had accused Shankar Dayal and his brother Ashok Kumar, also of Kernalganj area, of raping her several times in August last year. The case was investigated first by the local police and then by the district crime branch. Both the investigation officers gave a clean chit to accused in December. The two accused are absconding.

Following the suicide, superintendent of police of Gonda RP Singh suspended both the investigating officers and sent the station house officer (SHO) of Kernalganj to the police lines.

The Gonda police had lodged an FIR on August 7 under section 376D (gang rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC along with relevant sections of IT Act against the accused.

However, investigating officer (IO) of the case inspector Ajeet Singh gave a clean chit to the accused, stating ‘lack of corroborative evidence’ and submitted his final report. After this, the victim along and her husband reached Lucknow and attempted immolation outside Vidhan Bhawan on September 15. They were prevented from doing so by Hazratganj police officials.

Following the Lucknow suicide bid, the then SP of Gonda transferred the case to the crime branch for a re-investigation.

“The case was investigated again by inspector Parmanand Tiwari of the crime branch. The findings of Tiwari concurred with that of Ajeet Singh and he also filed the final report in the case,” said the Gonda SP.

“Both the IOs who investigated the case have been suspended and SHO Kernelganj Ved Parakash Srivatav has been sent to police lines,” the SP confirmed.

According to the victim’s husband, she was upset with the outcome of the investigation. “The accused had not just raped her but also made a video clip of the act. She was very upset when police gave the accused a clean chit, and so committed suicide,” he said.

The rape victim was alone in the house when she hanged herself. Police has not recovered any suicide note.

Enraged by her death, her family members staged a protest against the police. Additional police force from nearby police stations was rushed to the area to maintain peace.

“We have sent the body for post mortem. A case will be lodged as per the complaint filed by the victim’s family members,” said the SP.