After Hathras, another Dalit woman raped in Uttar Pradesh

Even as the rape and assault of a Dalit woman in Hathras shocked the nation, Uttar Pradesh has reported a similar incident in Balrampur.

On Tuesday, a 22-year-old Dalit woman succumbed to her injuries after she was allegedly gang-raped by two men. The family said the incident happened when the woman left home in the morning to get enrolled in a college. The accused allegedly abducted her on the way, raped her and sent her home in a rickshaw in the evening in an injured state.

As per the complaint filed by the family, the woman suffered injuries including broken legs and hip, which caused her death. However, police said the post-mortem did not reveal fractures in the woman’s arms and legs. The police nabbed both the accused on Wednesday and an FIR has been registered. The accused have been identified as Shahid and Sahil.

Police said the two accused run a grocery store in the Gaisari area where the woman was allegedly raped. Police are trying to find out if the accused new the girl before, however, the family says they knew nothing about the two men.

The victim’s brother said in his written complaint that the family got worried when she didn’t return until evening and they couldn’t contact her. The victim reached home at 7 pm in an injured state. She died on the way to the hospital. The woman’s mother while speaking to media persons said her daughter was soaked in mud and was unable to speak. According to her mother, her last words were, “I am in a lot of pain, I will not survive now.”

Balrampur SP Dev Ranjan Verma denied the mother’s charge. He said the post-mortem report didn’t confirm any such injuries. A team has been formed under the leadership of an additional SP, which is investigating the entire matter.

The victim was cremated late Wednesday in the presence of some family members and the police.

The incident came in the backdrop of the Hathras case where the UP police had hurriedly cremated the body of the Dalit victim in the absence of her family.

Related news: Rahul arrested on way to Hathras, says “cops lathicharged me”

Former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav targeted the Yogi Adityanath government over the matter. In a tweet, Yadav spoke about the Balrampur gang rape and paid condolences. He also asked the government to avoid a “Hathras-like cover up” and urged immediate action.

Senior Congress leader Raj Babbar also tweeted about the incident.

On the Hathras case, CM Yogi Adityanath had said on Wednesday that the guilty will not be spared.