The woman and her family attempted suicide near CM Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Sunday. Her family alleged the woman was raped by a BJP MLA and his accomplices and that no action is being taken. (Source: ANI)
A day after a 17-year-old girl, who had accused Bangarmau BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of raping her, tried to immolate herself near the residence of UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over police inaction, her father died in custody in an Unnao jail Monday, allegedly of injuries sustained when he was assaulted by supporters of the MLA.
The uproar over the death of the girl’s father made police suspend the Station Officer and four constables of Makhi police station. The case was transferred to the Crime Branch in Lucknow. No FIR has still been lodged against the MLA who has denied the girl’s allegation.
The girl’s father, arrested on April 3 and booked under charges of voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace and under sections of the Arms Act, was taken to the Unnao district hospital Sunday night after he complained of abdominal pain and vomiting.
Unnao district jail superintendent A K Singh said the girl’s father was handed over to police on April 3 after being beaten up by four supporters of the MLA and their unidentified associates. He was first admitted to the district hospital and, after police proceedings, sent to the jail next day around 7.30 pm.
“On April 5, he complained of stomach ache and vomiting. We called the district hospital physician who came to the jail on April 6 and gave him medicines. They also asked us to conduct his blood, urine and ultrasound tests, for which we again took him to the district hospital on April 7. Since the physician did not find anything serious, he was brought back to the jail the same evening,” Singh said.
“The next evening (April 8), he again complained of abdominal pain and vomiting. His blood pressure too was severely low, so the jail doctor asked us to take him to the district hospital. He was admitted there around 8.45 pm. But he passed away at 3.45 am today,” he said.
Asked in what condition was the girl’s father when he first came to jail, Singh said: “There were some marks on his back, suggesting that he was beaten up with sticks. No wound of any sharp object was visible.”
In a FIR filed by the family, four supporters of the MLA were named — Vineet, Bauwa, Shailu and Sonu — along with some unidentified persons. The four men were arrested Monday after the father of the girl died.
ADG Lucknow (zone) Rajeev Krishna said the girl had gone to court on February 12 to register an FIR against the MLA. The matter is still in court and April 12 is the next hearing.
Safipur Circle Officer Kunwar Bahadur Singh said: “The whole matter started last year when two youth of the village allegedly kidnapped the girl for marriage. A case was registered on June 20. The girl was recovered the next day, and based on her statement on June 22, in which she alleged that she was raped by the two men and one of their accomplices, all three — Shubham Singh, Naresh Tiwari and Brijesh Yadav — were arrested.”
On Sunday, a day before he was suspended, Makhi Station Officer Ashok Singh claimed that the girl and her family, suspecting that the MLA was helping the three men, later alleged that she was taken to the MLA’s home by the mother of one of the accused and was raped, this time by the MLA. Singh said the girl never mentioned the MLA in her initial complaint.
MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has denied the allegations: “Since the last two days, conspirators have been trying to make this incident successful. Today, they reached the Chief Minister’s residence and tried to give shape to an incident. I request the administration that the mobile numbers of these people should be taken and there should be an investigation into who all are part of this conspiracy, and who are the criminals. Whoever is at fault should be punished.”