UP: Seven policemen suspended two days after rape complainant who was set on fire dies
They were suspended for negligence of duty.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday suspended seven officials for negligence of duty in connection with the death of a rape complainant who was set on fire in the state’s Unnao district last week, PTI reported.
“Ajay Kumar Tripathi, SHO of Unnao’s Bihar police station, along with six other police personnel, has been suspended, for negligence during duty in connection with the death of rape victim,” Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said.
The move came hours after the woman was laid to rest in her family’s fields amid heavy police presence and in the presence of several politicians, including Samajwadi Party and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders.
The 23-year-old woman, who was set on fire by her alleged rapists, died in a Delhi hospital on Friday night. Two brothers in Unnao had allegedly raped her last year. She filed a case against them in March. One of the accused was on the run and the other, Shivam, was released on bail last week. The woman was on her way to a local court on December 5 for a hearing in her case when she was attacked by five men, including her alleged rapists. All five have been arrested.
Earlier on Sunday, the woman’s sister had said the family would not lay her to rest until Chief Minister Adityanath visited them and promised to act against the accused. The district administration had offered to make arrangements for the family to travel to Lucknow to meet Adityanath but they rejected it and demanded that the chief minister visit their village. But the family changed its mind after being convinced by Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Mukesh Meshram and other senior police officers.
Opposition parties in the state have been mounting pressure on the state government over the incident. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra went to Unnao to meet the family. Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati said the state government should make special efforts to ensure justice to the woman’s family. Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav protested against the death of the complainant outside the Vidhan Sabha in Uttar Pradesh. He called for the resignation of Adityanath, the state home secretary and the director general of police.