INCIDENTS of sexual violence against women and girl children are sharply on the increase under the Yogi government in Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Yogi talks of Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (Save and Educate the Girl Child) but his police are seen clearly to be standing with the accused persons or tries to cover up such incidents.
One such incident of sexual violence took place at Bangradeur village in Thana Ahirauli (Kushinagar District). A CPI(ML) enquiry team led by State Committee member Rajesh Sahani visited the spot to find out the facts of the case. According to the report submitted by the team, about 60-65 dalit families live in this village, of whom most are illiterate with the exception of a few. Most people in the village earn their livelihood by working for daily wages outside the village.
A heinous act of sexual violence was perpetrated on a 12 year old dalit girl child studying in Class 5 in this village. The role of the police in this incident has been extremely shameful and condemnable. The enquiry team found that there was a road and gutter related dispute between the family of the victim girl and the neighbouring dalit family. The victim’s father is a bender in the Railways and is often away from home on work. On 7 June 2019 two neighbouring boys, their friend Virendra Yadav and 7 or 8 other persons came to the house in the absence of the father, beat up the victim’s other and sister, and carried away the 12 year old victim girl. No person from the village came forward to help the victim and her family as they were afraid of the accused persons. Later in the night at 11 pm the accused persons threw the victim, unconscious and without clothes, outside her home and went away.
The victim’s family dialled 100 and informed the police. The police arrived and sent the victim to PHC in Pipraich, from where the doctors referred her to the Gorakhpur Medical College. However, the Medical College refused to admit her. The victim’s family then took her to Ahirauli Thana where the police, instead of registering an FIR, sent them back with advice to seek medical treatment once again. At that point, a dalit man from the village who is stationed as police Daroga in Balrampur District informed the Ahirauli SO and CO of the seriousness of the situation. The victim was then sent once again for treatment to the PHC where she received half-hearted and negligent treatment and was sent home still in unconscious condition. On 9 June the concerned CO came to the house of the victim and sent the victim by ambulance to the District Hospital. The victim is still in a serious condition and under treatment.
Meanwhile, dozens of such cases in the State have come to light through the media, after which the police took some action. On 10 June the Kushinagar SP visited the victim’s home and the named accused persons were arrested.
