UP: 15-year-old rape survivor demands death for father's killer

AGRA: 15-year-old Dheera (name changed) was studying in class XI when history-sheeter Achman Upadhyay allegedly abducted her from Shikohabad and raped her last August. He had been stalking her for three years. She has quit studies ever since and is trying to recover from the trauma. However, her world came crashing on Monday when the accused shot dead her father for refusing to relent to repeated threats to withdraw the rape case. Now, she wants nothing less than death for the accused.
Dheera said, "I want death for Achman. He destroyed my life and killed my father." Her 37-year-old father was the sole bread-winner of their family of six. The second eldest among four siblings, the burden of responsibilities is now on her young shoulders. Her elder sister had got married a couple of years ago.
Her septuagenarian grandfather said, "Achman is our neighbour. His father too had a criminal history. While Dheera was in class IX, he started stalking her. Unable to find any way out, we decided to shift her to her maternal grandparents’ home for her to be able to continue her studies. However, on August 26 last year, Achman met the girl while she was heading to school. He lied to her that her father had met an accident and took her to his relative’s home in Tilak Nagar. He confined her there and raped her. When she resisted the rape, he smashed her head on the wall and even tried to strangulate her. He also made a video of the act. Later, she managed to escape from his clutches and reached home," he added.
He further said, "On learning about her ordeal, we lodged a complaint against Achman, based on which police registered a case against him under IPC section 376 (rape), 363 (kidnapping), 307 (attempt to murder), 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of the Pocso Act. Despite repeated efforts, he was never arrested, until Wednesday night."
The survivor’s father, who was an electrician and the sole bread earner of the family, was fighting tooth and nail for justice to his daughter. Achman had even threatened him of dire consequences on January 31.
Inspector general of police (Agra range) Satish Ganesh said, "We have built a very strong case against Achman and his accomplice. We won’t leave any stone unturned to get him convicted for the crimes he has committed. I have also recommended for a fast trial in the case with the most stringent punishment.”
Dheera said, "Nothing short of death for Achman will give me peace."
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)