A day after the Badaun gang rape case came into light, comments of a member of National Commission for Women triggered netizens.
Chandramukhi Devi, a member of the NCW said, “I tell women again and again that they should never go out at odd hours under anyone’s influence.” She further said, “I think if she had not gone out in the evening or was accompanied by any child of the family perhaps this incident could have been avoided. But this was pre-planned as she was called through a phone call. She went (out) and then returned in such a state.”
The comments were made on the recent gang rape case of a 50 year old anganwadi worker.
The incident took place on the evening of the 3rd of January. The woman who went to a temple to offer prayers but never returned.
After an interrogation, local residents of the village said, around 12:00 A.M., they saw Mahant Baba Satyanarayan, his aide Vedram and driver Jaspal who escaped leaving the woman bleeding outside her house. She later died in the night. It was also revealed that earlier, the accused had taken the victim to Chandausi for treatment in their car. The family members of the victim rushed to the police station and filed a First Information Report (FIR.) The case was registered on the 4th of January, a day after the incident took place.
The family of the victim has accused the priest, Mahanta Baba Satyanarayana of rape and murder. They also accused the police for the delay in filing an FIR in the case.
Though the incident took place on the 3rd of January, the matter came to light on the 6th of January.
As per the police, the postmortem report which was done 18 hours after the incident, confirmed the brutal gang rape, fractured leg and severe injuries to her private parts. The police have lodged a case in the matter under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC.)
Chandramukhi Devi even criticised the State Police and delay in proceedings.
Ms. Devi also said, “I am not satisfied with the role of the police. Had timely action been taken, perhaps the life of the victim could have been saved.”
She said, “The SSP has told me that the woman was found in an unconscious state and had she got treatment, her life could have been saved. The FIR was filed late and the post mortem examination was also done much later,” she said, adding that the autopsy report explains that the incident was “most sickening and unfortunate.”
On the 7th of January, the NCW members met victim’s family members as well as officials and took stock of the action taken in this connection.
Based on the initial investigation, Ravendra Pratap Singh, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Ughaiti was suspended and two accused were arrested.
The Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Ughaiti Police Station Sankalp Sharma informed that four teams have been formed to nab the accused and assured that the culprits would soon be arrested.
The investigation is underway and two of the three accused were arrested.
Search for the prime accused Mahant Baba Satyanarayan who is absconding, is underway
