New Delhi: More and more horrifying revelations are coming to the fore in the recent gangrape case in Unnao.
According to the post mortem report, the father of the woman who has alleged that she was gangraped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his brothers died due to shock and septicaemia.
Pappu, the woman’s father, died in police custody early on Monday (April 9) morning. The woman and her family have alleged that he was assaulted and killed at the behest of the BJP lawmaker.
Chief medical officer of Unnao, S.P. Chaudhary, said, “The death may have been caused by shock and septicaemia due to peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen)”.
“How colon perforation happened and where it happened is a matter of judicial inquiry,” he said.
According to NDTV, the post mortem report highlights 14 injuries, including abrasions, contusions and bruises. “The postmortem report of the 55-year-old listed multiple abrasions near abdomen, buttocks, thighs, above and below knee joints and arms. It, however, listed blood poisoning due to perforation of colon as the cause of death. Perforation of colon, which is a part of intestines, can be caused by a number of diseases. It can also be caused by blunt trauma to the abdomen or a knife or gunshot wound,” the TV channel’s report says.
The BJP MLA’s brother, Atul Singh Sengar, was arrested yesterday.
SC to hear plea for CBI probe
The Supreme Court will hear next week here a plea for a CBI probe into the Unnao gangrape case.
The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and D.Y. Chandrachud said it would hear the plea which has also alleged that the rape victim’s father was tortured and killed in the police custody at the behest of the “ruling party” in the state.
The petition, filed by advocate Manohar Lal Sharma, sought the court’s direction to the CBI to probe the alleged kidnapping and rape of a minor girl in July last year “by the BJP MLA and his companion and custodial death of her father via torture” on April 9.
Alleging that the complaint had not mentioned the name of the legislator “under political pressure” and that the state police would not carry out a “fair investigation under compulsion”, it said the matter should be handed over to the CBI for an independent investigation.
Referring to the victim’s statement, the petition also alleged that the sitting BJP MLA Sengar from Bangarmau constituency in Unnao district was the main accused in cases of the girl’s rape in July last year and custodial death of her father after her protest against the legislator.
As in the Jyoti Singh case, the public interest petition also sought protection and compensation to the victims’ kin.
NHRC sends notice to UP government
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the state police chief seeking a detailed report on the incident and asked the authorities to ensure the aggrieved family was not subjected to further harassment.
“Notices have been issued to chief secretary and the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh, calling for a detailed report in the matter, including action taken against the delinquent police officials, who refused to register an FIR,” the rights body said.
The Commission observed that the allegations, if true, raised a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim’s family.
“The incident was reported to have happened a day after the alleged rape victim tried to immolate herself near the chief minister’s residence, accusing BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his aides of gangrape,” the NHRC said, and directed that the magisterial inquiry in the matter be expedited.
State minister Siddhartnath Singh said law will take its own course in the case. “Two things will have to be seen – when the case was before the magistrate, the rape victim had not taken any name. And now when some names have been mentioned, action has been taken and arrests have been made. An SIT has also been constituted,” he said.
Meanwhile, opposition Samajwadi Party workers yesterday staged a demonstration in Hazratganj area in the heart of the state capital demanding immediate arrest of the BJP MLA. A five-member women’s fact-finding team has been constituted by the party to visit Unnao, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.
(With PTI inputs)