Protesters heckle Sakshi Maharaj, 2 UP ministers at Unnao victim’s village

UNNAO: Protests were held on Saturday evening as UP ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal Rani Varun along with local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj reached the village of the Unnao gangrape victim to meet her family.

File photo of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj.

Unnao/Lucknow, December 7

Protests were held on Saturday evening as UP ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal Rani Varun along with local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj reached the village of the Unnao gangrape victim to meet her family.

A number of protestors, including some local Congress leaders, sustained injuries as the police used force to disperse the crowd which had gathered outside the residence of the victim and shouted ‘Vaapas jaao, Vapaas jaao’ (Go back) and raised slogans against the state government and Sakshi Maharaj.

The sloganeering continued for 15 minutes. The police used force against the protesters after which the two ministers and the MP could be taken to the victim’s home, villagers said.

The 23-year-old rape victim who was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital with 90 per cent burns after being set afire by the accused died following a cardiac arrest at 11.40 pm on Friday.

Akhilesh sits on dharna, says UP govt has failed to protect women

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav sat on a dharna outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow on Saturday.

Terming the day a “Black Day”, he demanded that the BJP government in the state be removed.

Accompanied by senior party leaders, Yadav squatted before the main entrance of the Vidhan Sabha and said his party will agitate against the government in all district headquarters.

“What help you have given to the family of the girl? Will you run your government in this manner?” Yadav asked.

“A government which is giving sorrow and creating difficulties. Our demand is that this government should be removed. The party will agitate for people, and in this regard the Samajwadi Party will hold ‘shok sabha’ (condolence meetings) in all district headquarters. It will be in memory of all the daughters, who had lost their lives,” he told reporters.

The 23-year-old woman was set on fire by five people, including two men accused of raping her, on Thursday morning when she was going to Rae Bareli to attend a court hearing. She suffered 90% burn injuries and was airlifted to Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital for treatment but died following a cardiac arrest at 11.40 pm on Friday. PTI