On rising crimes against women in Jharkhand, state minister's swipe at UP govt

Speaking to reporters, Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta said the Hemant Soren-led government does not function the way the dispensation in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP is in power operates.

Jharkhand health minister Banna Gupta said on Monday that his government is sensitive towards the issue of rising crimes against women and arrests in such cases are made within 24 hours, besides launching a speedy trial.

In Jharkhand, another case of gang rape was reported from Pathrol police station limits on Sunday. (Representative image)

Speaking to reporters, Gupta said the Hemant Soren-led government does not function the way the dispensation in Uttar Pradesh where the BJP is in power operates. “Ours is not a government like the one in UP where a Dalit girl is cremated at night and her parents are not allowed (there),” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

Gupta further said the Soren-led government will take the strictest action against those who commit such crimes (against women).

While 2020 Hathras gang rape incident where a 19-year-old gangrape victim was cremated in the dead of the night became national news, a few other incidents have created an uproar in UP, including the latest incident in Auraiya where allegations were raised of running away with rape victim’s body were raised against police.

Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, another case of gang rape was reported from Pathrol police station limits on Sunday. A minor girl was gang raped by five men and a case was registered following a medical examination of the victim.

A special investigation team (SIT) has been formed to investigate the matter, Deogarh's superintendent of police Subhash Chandra Jat told Hindustan Times on Monday.

Jat said two of the five accused have been arrested so far

Two weeks ago, a woman in her early 20s was gang raped by six men in the Palamu district. All the accused were arrested.

Last Friday, 22-year-old Maruti Kumari from Dumka died hours after she was ablaze by a man for rejecting his marriage proposal. The accused, who is already married, was arrested. He had entered the house of the victim on Friday morning, poured petrol on her when she was asleep, and set her ablaze, according to the Jarmundi Police.

On September 3, a teenage girl belonging to the tribal community was found hanging by a tree in Dumka. Police arrested a man on the charges of raping and murdering the teenager. In August, another minor succumbed to her injuries after she was set on fire by her alleged stalker in Dumka.

(With agency and bureau inputs)