In horrifying news coming from Badaun, a 50-year-old Anganwadi worker was gang-raped in a temple and left to die with her ribs and legs broken & her private parts ruptured.
We advise reader’s discretion ahead as this developing story can be upsetting for some readers.
The Story So Far:
The 50-year-old Anganwadi worker who left home to visit the temple in her village at about 6 PM on Sunday was gang-raped by three men out of which one was a priest. After a few hours when the woman didn’t return back, her family went to the police station but were refused any help by the police officials.
On the same night, around 11:30, three men dumped her body filled with blood outside her house, and ran away. It is also being said that before the accused dumped the victim’s body outside her home, they took her for some medical aid but once she died, they threw her body outside, rang the bell, and fled.
The family rushed to Ughaiti police station to file a complaint but Station Incharge Ravendra Pratap Singh refused to listen to them and said that he will take up the matter the next day. On Monday morning the cops visited and sent the body for postmortem which was 18 hours after the body was found. The doctors have found serious injuries to the victim’s private parts, evidence of substantial blood loss, and fracture in a leg and ribs.
An FIR is registered against the priest, his disciple and the driver. Of the three 2 were arrested on Tuesday with the Priest still being on the run.
The Aftermath:
The family of the victim accused the Badaun police for laxity. Later Badaun special superintendent of police Sankalp Sharma said that Police Inspector Raghvendra Pratap Singh was suspended for “delay in informing higher authorities, laxity in taking action, dereliction of duty and failure in taking speedy action”. Sharma also said, “If any more police officials are found involved in dereliction of duties, action will be taken against them.”
Following the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed the Bareilly ADG to visit the spot of the incident and submit a report. In what appears to be a reality check on the ability of the local administration, the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force has been directed to assist with the investigation.
The National Commission for Women(NCW) wrote to the state DGP Hitesh Awasthy seeking his direct intervention for the case:
The NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma said, “We have taken cognizance of the matter. We have written a letter to DGP. One NCW member is going to the spot to investigate the matter to meet the family and the police and take stock of the situation. NCW will be following this case closely and we will make sure that justice will be delivered,” she said.
The General Secretary of Congress, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra remained critical of the UP government officials and condemned the intention of the UP government on Twitter:
हाथरस में
सरकारी अमले ने शुरुआत में फरियादी की नहीं सुनी, सरकार ने अफसरों को बचाया और आवाज को दबाया
बदायूं में
थानेदार ने फरियादी की नहीं सुनी, घटनास्थल का मुआयना तक नहीं किया।
महिला सुरक्षा पर यूपी सरकार की नियत में खोट है।https://t.co/3RKcDN0auV
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) January 6, 2021
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party’s chief Akhilesh Yadav announced that he has set up a 3-member committee which will go to the bottom of this incident. The Samajwadi spokesperson said that the committee will be headed by MP Dharmendra Yadav who would visit the spot and “probe” the incident.
Badaun District Magistrate Kumar Prashant announced that the guilty will be charged with the National Security Act. “We believe that this incident is a fit case of NSA and we will take action against the accused under the NSA. The case will be tried in fast track court,” said the District Magistrate.