Even Ram can’t guarantee a crime-free UP: Minister

Amid a public outcry over a gangrape victim having been set ablaze by the accused in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh minister Raghvendra Pratap Singh courted a controversy by saying that even Lord Ram cannot guarantee a 100 per cent crimefree society.

"Saying that society would be 100 per cent crime free, I don't think this surety can be given even by Lord Ram," said Food and Civil Supplies minister Raghvendra Pratap Singh alias Dhunni Singh.

He added though, "If crime has taken place, the culprits will go to jail and he will be punished. I think crimes occur always, but if there is anyone who has taken prompt action and punished culprits, it is the Yogi government.” He went on to claim that this would be the first government since Independence to never compromise with criminals.

Expressing shock over the incident, NCP chief Sharad Pawar also asked the Centre to take immediate cognisance of the incident. Pawar also alleged that the incident would not have occurred if the culprits were prosecuted "in time".

Two more rape cases

Meanwhile, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly gangraped by two men in UP's Sitapur district. The incident took place on the night of December 3 when two persons took the victim to the sugarcane field, raped her and later abandoned her in the field after gagging her and tying her hands and legs, they said.

The accused -- Rupesh and Yogendra -- have been arrested and an investigation has been initiated, police said.

A 19-year old girl was also allegedly raped by a staffer of a hotel where she was undergoing training for hotel management course in Jaipur. A resident of Mumbai, the victim alleged that the accused, raped her near the hotel on Friday night.

On the heels of the Hyderabad rape case, a charred body of a woman was found in a mango orchard in West Bengal. The woman was set ablaze with kerosene, the police further said.