Madhya Pradesh woman gang-raped, BJP leader’s son arrested

The rape survivor attempted suicide after the incident. She was, however, rescued by her family members who then approached the police, an official familiar with the matter said

Bhopal: A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader’s son was arrested and search was on to nab three other men for allegedly gang-raping a 19-year-old woman and sexually harassing her 17-year-old sister in Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district, police said on Saturday. The rape survivor attempted suicide after the incident and is currently undergoing treatment, an official familiar with the matter said.

Police said the incident took place on Friday afternoon when the survivors were returning home from school and the accused allegedly forcefully took them in a car to the house of another accused. The four men then gang-raped the woman. (HT Archives)

Police have identified the prime accused as Dhruv Rai, son of BJP’s Unnao mandal president Kishan Rai. The three other accused are his friends.

According to the police, the incident took place on Friday afternoon when the survivors were returning home from school and the accused allegedly forcefully took them in a car to the house of another accused, Ramkishore Yadav. The four men then gang-raped the woman. Rai’s family, however, dismissed the allegation and said the women went with the men voluntarily.

“The two survivors were returning from school on Friday afternoon when three accused threatened them and took them to the house of BJP leader Ramkishore Yadav. The four accused raped the woman in front of her minor sister. They also sexually harassed the girl,” superintendent of police (Datia), Pradeep Sharma, said.

“The accused threatened the survivors with dire consequences if they informed anyone about the assault, and let them leave. The sisters reached home where the survivor tried to commit suicide. She was, however, rescued by her family members who then approached the police,” Sharma said, quoting the complaint.

The survivor is currently undergoing treatment at the Jhansi Medical College and her condition is stated to be stable, he added.

The survivors’ family members accused the police of not registering a complaint on time. “We staged a protest for hours, then only the police registered a case,” the survivor’s brother alleged.

Refuting the allegations of delay, the SP said the FIR was registered immediately after the family approached the police on Saturday. “The four accused have been booked under section 376 (d) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, while a search operation has been launched for the three absconding men. We are waiting for the survivors’ medical report to proceed with the investigation,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, Rai’s uncle, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “It is not a case of gang rape.The woman and her sister were partying with Rai and his three friends to celebrate Yadav’s birthday. But a few people saw them and threatened to inform their family. Due to shame, the woman attempted suicide. Some local politicians are trying to use the incident to their advantage.”