Rape victim from UP’s Unnao set ablaze, suffers 90 per cent burns

Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service
Lucknow, December 5

The Unnao rape survivor who was set on fire by five men on Thursday morning has 90 per cent burn injuries and her condition is “very serious”, doctors attending on her said.

The woman, who was raped in December last year, was on her way to a court in Rae Bareli when she was attacked early Thursday.

“The condition of the girl who was set on fire and bought here at 10 am is very serious. She has 90 per cent burn injuries and we are taking utmost care. A team of doctors are observing her,” Dr Ashutosh Dubey, medical superintendent of the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Hospital, said.

Asked about the possibility of shifting her to another hospital outside Lucknow, he said, “I can’t say about this. Our doctors are on the job.”  

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath directed senior police and state administration officials to visit the spot and submit a report by the evening.

"The CM has directed the divisional commissioner and IG, Lucknow zone, to visit the spot and submit a report to him by the evening," said Additional Chief Secretary, Information and Home Department, Awanish Awasthi.

The two rape accused had been released on bail just a day ago.

The minor had been raped in Hindu Nagar village under Bihar police station of Unnao. The police have arrested the two accused.

The two accused along with three of their associates accosted her in a field near the village, poured kerosene and set her ablaze.

The panic-stricken villagers informed the police who first took the rape survivor to the district hospital from where she was referred to a hospital in Lucknow.

In her statement the rape survivor has again named the two accused.

The police have arrested three persons. They are Harishankar Dwivedi, Shubham Dwivedi and Shivam Dwivedi. Two others are absconding and the police have put them on surveillance.

Describing the incident as “unfortunate”, DGP O P Singh said that every effort would be made to save the rape survivor.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hit out at the union home minister and UP chief minister for lying through their teeth regarding the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh.

In a tweet she said: “Seeing such incidents occur on a daily basis saddens ones heart. BJP leaders should now come out of their false propaganda.”

In 2017, another Unnao minor had been gang raped in 2017 reportedly by the BJP Balamau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates. The case was not registered. The rape survivor’s father was implicated in a false case and died after he was beaten up in police custody. 

Following public outcry the Allahabad High Court had ordered a CBI probe and the BJP MLA Sengar was arrested. Still no progress was made in the case.

In July this year the rape survivor’s car was mysterious hit killing two of her aunts and seriously injuring her and her lawyer. Both of them were airlifted to AIIMS on court orders.

Following this, the Supreme Court transferred the case to Delhi and ordered for a safe home for the rape survivor and her family. Sengar is now lodged in Tihar jail.  — with PTI