As per reports, a woman from West Bengal was allegedly raped by two men when she was going to join the farmer protest site at the Tikri border, Delhi. The father of the woman had filed a complaint based on which an FIR was registered by the Police under Sections 120B, 342, 354, 365, 376D and 506. As per the police, they have formed a team to track down two of the accused in the case.
As per the complaint, on April 10, the woman, aged around 25 years, came to Tikri border protest site from West Bengal with a group to join the farmers’ protest against the recently enacted agriculture laws. On April 26, she was admitted to a hospital in the Jhajjar district after showing Covid symptoms. Vijay Kumar, Police Officer at Bahadurgarh Police Station, said, “She died on April 30. Her father has filed a case of rape against two men.”
Kumar further added that the complaint filed by her father mentioned that she was raped by two men of the group that came to support the farmers’ protest. The whole story was narrated by the woman to her father over the phone as per the complaint. Kumar said, “She died during treatment. The hospital authorities have told us they treated her as a Covid patient. We have applied for documents, which are awaited and only after we get them can we confirm if her death was Covid-related.”
Complaint filed by victim’s father
In his complaint, the father named six persons identified as Anil Malik, Anup Singh Chanaut, Ankur Sangwan, Kovita Arya, Jagdish Brar and Yogita Suhag, who went to West Bengal on behalf of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha. All of them have been named in the FIR. As per the father’s complaint, and his daughter met them, and his daughter showed a desire to join the protests. She left with them on April 11 from Howrah Station.
As per the father’s complaint, his daughter told him over the phone that Anil and Anup were not decent persons. When they were travelling, and everyone slept, Anil allegedly came to her and tried to forcibly kiss her. She asked him to go away and never repeat that behaviour. She further told her father that Anil and Anup were blackmailing and pressuring her. He alleged in his complaint that she was forced on the train and in the tent at the protest site. She was forced to share the tent with the accused. He asked her to take some women over there in confidence and tell them her ordeal.
Finally, on April 16, she told Yogita and Jagdish about the incident, and they made a video of her statement. He called Yogita and asked her to forward the video to him. On April 17, Yogita told her father that she passed blood in her urine. She was moved to a tent with women on April 18. On April 21, she started to show symptoms of Covid, including mild fever. On April 24, she started feeling difficulty in breathing. On April 26, she was admitted to the hospital and later died allegedly of Covid.
Connection of the case with Aam Aadmi Party
As per reports, Anup Singh, one of the accused, was an active member of the Aam Aadmi Party from the Hisar region. AAP MLA Sushil Kumar has confirmed his involvement with the party. Another accused, Anil Malik is an AAP member in Delhi. However, Kumar claimed he did not have any information about him. These two were active at Farmer Protests from the beginning under the banner of the Kisan Social Army. Since the woman died in hospital, Anup has been missing from the protest site.
The body was taken in a procession against Covid guidelines
According to the reports, after the death of the woman, the protestors took the body out in a procession even though she allegedly died of Covid. As per guidelines, there are strict protocols in place that do not allow such processions of anyone who has died of Covid as it may infect the attendees.
Samyukta Kisan Morcha claimed they took action against the group
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) claimed in a statement that when they came to know about the case, they decided to take action against the group. They alleged that they have already removed the tents of the so-called ‘Kisan Social Army’ from the protest site a few days ago. In a statement, they claimed to take “this fight for justice to its logical conclusion.”
Jasbir Kaur Natt, Punjab Kisan Union leader said, “it is a matter of serious concern which needs to be debated threadbare. Here at the protest, there is no difference between males and females and women in large numbers are participating. The farmers will investigate and ensure no such thing is allowed to happen again.” Natt was in her contact before her demise.
It is notable here that recently, allegations of sexual harassment had emerged against four farmer protest activists and leaders named Mohd Zuber, Varun Chouhan, Antarpreet Singh and Manish Kumar. They were accused of harassing a number of victims over the course of several years.
The investigation in the case is currently underway.