Unnao gangrape: Accused uncle held for torching survivor’s house

The fire endangered the lives of the 14-year-old gangrape survivor, her infant son, and her three-month-old sister, among others.

KANPUR More than 24 hours after the house of a minor gangrape survivor was set ablaze in Unnao, police on Wednesday arrested her uncle for arson. The fire endangered the lives of the 14-year-old gangrape survivor, her infant son, and her three-month-old sister, among others.

Police have also recovered a lighter from the accused. (HT Photo)

The action comes after the siblings of the gangrape survivor told police that their uncle torched the house late on Monday evening. Notably, the girl’s uncle and grandfather are among the seven accused in the gangrape case. The survivor, who was impregnated during the sexual assault, conceived a son.

“Police had received a video in which the children can be seen speaking about their uncle and how he set the house on fire. Thereafter, cops confirmed the authenticity of the video with the children. The rape survivor has seven siblings,” said Siddharth Meena, SP Unnao.

Police have also recovered a lighter from the accused, which the children pointed out was used to start the fire. The house was set on fire just five days after the family alleged that the gangrape accused attacked the survivor’s father with an axe. Due to serious injuries, he had to be hospitalised. In this case too, the survivor’s uncle was charged under section 151 CrPC.

Among the seven accused in the gangrape case, two were given bail in December while another secured a bail in February. “Further probe is underway into the incident of torching the survivor’s house,” said SP Meena.