Unnao victim's family for Hyderabad-like justice'

New Delhi: The tragic death of the Unnao gangrape victim late Friday night led to nationwide outrage with protests erupting in several parts on Saturday and her family demanding that the perpetrators be “chased and killed” like in the Hyderabad incident.

The body of the 23-year-old victim was taken to her village in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district by road on Saturday.

The rape victim had been airlifted to Delhi and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with 90 per cent burns after she was set ablaze by the accused on Thursday while she was walking to a hearing in the rape case she had filed.

After battling for her life for almost 40 hours, the woman died around midnight on Friday following a cardiac arrest.

Dr Shalab Kumar, head of burn and plastic surgery department at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital, said, “Despite our best efforts, she did not survive. Her condition deteriorated towards the evening. She had a cardiac arrest around 11:10 pm. We tried to resuscitate her, but she passed away around 11:40 pm.”

As Opposition parties accused the BJP government of Uttar Pradesh of failing to provide security to those brutalised by sexual violence, chief minister Yogi Adityanath assured the grieving family of speedy justice, saying a fast-track court would decide the case. He later announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the family.

As news came that the Unnao gangrape victim had succumbed to her injuries, Opposition parities launched a massive attack on the UP government for its failure to curb crimes against women and protecting rape victims.

Hitting out at the Yogi government, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned why the victim had not been given security keeping in mind a similar incident in the same district earlier.

Before leaving for Unnao to meet the victim’s family on Saturday morning, Ms Gandhi tweeted, “Why the victim of Unnao gangrape case was not given security keeping in mind an earlier incident of Unnao? What action has been taken on the police official who refused to register an FIR?  What steps are being taken by the government to stop crime against the women, which take place on a daily basis?”

Deep sorrow and acute anger gripped the native village of the Unnao rape victim. Sitting on the doorstep of their house, the victim’s father was categorical in saying that he wanted justice on the lines of the Hyderabad case.

“I want to see the accused persons being chased and shot dead,” he said. “I do not want money or any other kind of help. I want to see that the accused are chased and shot dead like the Hyderabad encounter or hanged to death.”

When asked if anyone had come forward to ensure them justice, he said neither any MLA nor official has tried to help them. “The accused persons had used money power to deny justice to us. My case was not lodged and it was only after the court’s directive that it was registered,” he said.

The Unnao rape victim was set ablaze by five men, including her two alleged rapists, on Thursday morning when she was going to Rae Bareli to attend a court hearing in the case filed by her.

She reportedly ran for a kilometer screaming for help before someone reacted and reached out to help her.

In her statement to the magistrate, the Unnao rape survivor alleged that Shivam and Shubham Trivedi had abducted and raped her in December 2018. She had filed a case against the two in March this year. Shubham, who was in jail in connection with the rape case, was released on bail on November 30, 2019.

All the five accused — Harishankar Trivedi, Ram Kishore Trivedi, Umesh Bajpai, Shivam and Shubham Trivedi — involved in the attack on the Unnao rape case victim were arrested hours after the incident. The prime accused has been identified as Shubham Trivedi.

Alleging that the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh had “collapsed completely”, Rahul Gandhi said that India is now known as the “rape capital”.

“The girls, sisters and mothers must be shocked when they read newspapers that every day a girl is raped or killed... the international community today ridicules India. India is known as the rape capital of the world,” Mr Gandhi said.

In an apparent reference to the rape case against UP BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, he alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had failed to react when the victim’s car was hit by a truck. “UP BJP MLA is involved in rape and PM hasn’t said a word. Her car is hit by a truck and PM doesn’t say a word. Foreign nations are asking this question why the nation can’t take care of its daughters,” Mr Gandhi said.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate demanded strict action against the accused in the case.

On the father of the Unnao victim demanding that the guilty either to be chased and shot dead like the Hyderabad police encounter or hanged within 24 hours, Ms Shrinate said that she understands the “pain, agony, anger and grief” of the father, but law and order needs to be strengthened.

“He is the father. I can understand his pain and his disappointment. I empathise with the family and we solidly stand with them in this hour of grief... But law and order is the basis of any civil society. Law and order needs to be strengthened to an extent where perpetrators of crime against women don’t have the courage to do anything. Police needs to be sensitized to first make it safe for women, and in case of a crime lodge FIRs and offer protection instead of shielding the accused,” she added.

In the evening, when Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal Rani Varun along with local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj went to meet the victim’s family, they were met with protesters shouting “Vaapas jaao, vapaas jaao” (Go back) and raising slogans against the state government and Maharaj.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav sat on a dharna outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow, accusing the Yogi government of failing to protect women in the state, and demanded that it be removed.

Mr Yadav termed Saturday as a “Black Day” and blamed the government for the death of the woman.

“What help you have given to the family of the girl? Will you run your government in this manner?” he asked the ruling party. “This government is giving sorrow and creating difficulties. Hence our demand is that this government be removed. The party will agitate for people. The Samajwadi Party will hold ‘shok sabha’ (condolence meetings) in all district headquarters... In memory of all the daughters who have lost their lives,” Mr Yadav said.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati asked the UP government to ensure “proper justice” to the family of the victim. “At the social level we all are guilty, but at the same time this also points out at the hollow law and order mechanism in UP,” she said.

Ms Mayawati said the death of the rape victim is extremely painful and the BSP is with her family in this hour of grief. “UP government should take special initiative soon to provide proper justice to the victim’s family. This is the demand of justice and people,” the BSP chief tweeted.

“To prevent such traumatic incidents all over the country, including in UP, state governments should create fear of law among people… the Centre should also make a law to ensure strict punishment by hanging till death within a stipulated time-frame,” she added.