Akhilesh Yadav flays Yogi government over suicide bids by two Jhansi girls, cops deny sexual harassment as reason

Lucknow, March 27

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday attacked the Yogi Adityanath government over women’s safety in Uttar Pradesh, referring to an incident in Jhansi where two sisters, allegedly fed up with the police inaction over their complaint of sexual harassment, consumed poison.

Police, however, refuted Yadav’s claim that the two sisters were sexually harassed, and said they had consumed poison, alleging police inaction over their complaint of harassment by their neighbours over a dispute on watering an under-construction house.

“It’s saddening that losing hope from the police, two sisters, facing sexual harassment in Jhansi, consumed poison. All those criminals and officials involved and those patronising them should face an unbiased probe.

“Security of sisters and daughters should be the first indicator of law and order,” Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet in Hindi.

Responding to Yadav’s allegation, the Jhansi police claimed in a tweet that the two girls’ allegations of sexual harassment were false and they had a fight with a neighbouring woman and her son Rahul over the watering of an under-construction house.

After the incident of the girls consuming poison came to light, police acted in the matter and have registered an FIR against the mother-son duo, the Jhansi police said on its Twitter handle.

The police have also formed a team to arrest the accused, they said.

The Jhansi police said it even suspended the police station in-charge J P Yadav with immediate effect for not taking proper action on the girls’ complaint and ordered a departmental probe against him.

According to doctors, the condition of the girls is normal, police said.