Noida: A middle-aged Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Jewar area near here at gunpoint, police officials said Monday. Coming in the backdrop of the Lakhimpur Kheri incident this was another example of the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. All the opposition political parties, including the BSP and the Congress, demanded action against culprits.
None of the four accused have been arrested yet over the incident that took place Sunday morning outside a village. Multiple police teams have been formed and surveillance teams, along with dog squads, have been deployed to probe the case, officials said.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women and Child Safety) Vrinda Shukla said, “The incident took place between 9.30am and 10.30am Sunday in open fields near the village. The rape survivor often went to cut grass in the area and the accused also went often to graze his cattle. Both are from the same village and known to each other well.”
The key accused, who is a drug addict, had dragged the woman into the fields and forced himself on her, according to the police officer. Local officials however, said the woman was raped at gunpoint.
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“The role of other people in the act could be ascertained after investigation. The key accused is on the run and details could be confirmed after his arrest,” Shukla informed.
DCP Shukla said the rape survivor was taken to the district hospital after the incident where her health condition was stable Monday.
The police said an FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the law on the basis of a complaint by the woman’s husband and an investigation is underway.
BSP chief Mayawati condemned the incident, while a Congress delegation from Noida went to meet the family of the rape survivor.
“The gang-rape of a Dalit woman in Gautam Buddh Nagar is extremely sad and shameful. The BSP demands that the BJP government in UP take strong action against the accused persons, and give justice to the affected family,” Mayawati said in a tweet in Hindi.
Congress leader Pankhuri Pathak described the incident as a ‘heinous crime’ and alleged failure of law and order in the region.