UP police IG names victim’s uncle, terms incident as ‘sexual assault’

GREATER NOIDA\GHAZIABAD: After the arrest of prime accused Saleem Bawariya and two others in the Bulandshahr gang-rape case, inspector general (Meerut zone) Sujit

GREATER NOIDA\GHAZIABAD: After the arrest of prime accused Saleem Bawariya and two others in the Bulandshahr gang-rape case, inspector general (Meerut zone) Sujit Pandey courted a controversy by revealing the name of the victim’s uncle and terming the incident as ‘sexual assault’ at a press conference at Surajpur in Greater Noida on Tuesday afternoon.

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The IG later said that “it was not intentional and he just named the complainant when someone asked for it. Her uncle is the complainant in the case.”

“The IG should not have identified the relative’s name in front of the press. Somewhere, the administration is trying to dilute the incident by referring it as sexual assault. In fact, it is a case of gang-rape,” said Rekha Sharma, member of the National Commission for Women.

“...@Uppolice introduced victim’s relative in the press highly objectionable (sic),” she also tweeted to @PMOIndia and @MinistryWCD.

The victim’s uncle had barged inside the conference room on Tuesday where the IG was holding the briefing. The uncle and aunt of the 13-year-old victim appeared in front of the cameras and demanded handing over of the three accused to them.

“I want to kill them at the same place where they indulged in brutality with my family. ‘Darindo ko hamare hawale kar do, in he aise saza denge jo nazeer ban jaye.’ (Hand the culprits to us and we will punish them so that it becomes an example). I have just seen a glimpse of the accused...” said the victim’s uncle and aunt.

After the uncle’s complaint, police lodged a case under IPC sections of gang rape, dacoity, illegal confinement and provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Someof the sections were later modified with pen.

The NCW team on Monday questioned the Bulandshahr doctor and a statement was recorded. The statement will be a part of the report to be submitted to the NCW chairperson.