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CM Yogi’s ‘bulldozer action’ sees bakery of rape-accused SP leader razed in Ayodhya
The bakery owned by a Samajwadi Party functionary, the main accused in the gang rape of a 12-year-old girl, was demolished under heavy police presence.
A bakery owned by the main accused in the gang rape of a 12-year-old girl in Ayodhya was demolished on Saturday, a day after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath met with the victim's mother and assured her of justice.
The ‘bulldozer action’ was carried out under heavy police surveillance by using drone technology.
Bakery owner Moid Khan, who is a Samajwadi Party functionary in Bhadrasa, and his employee Raju Khan were arrested from the Purakalandar area in connection with the case on July 30. According to police sources, the duo raped the girl two months ago and recorded the act. The crime was uncovered when a recent medical examination revealed the victim's pregnancy.
Ayodhya SSP Raj Karan Nayyar revealed that the accused video-recorded the assault on the minor and used the footage to intimidate and continue abusing her.
"Over two-and-a-half months, Khan continued to sexually abuse her, using the video to intimidate and threaten her. Khan committed these acts with the assistance of Raju, his employee," Nayyar said.
Ayodhya MP and SP leader Awadhesh Prasad, meanwhile, feigned ignorance of Khan’s actions and avoided media inquiries on the matter.
The victim’s mother, following her meeting with the chief minister at his official residence in Lucknow, told the media, “CM has assured that there will be bulldozer action and exemplary punishment for the culprit.”
"I met the family members of the victim from Ayodhya, along with Dr Amit Singh Chauhan, the MLA from Bikapur constituency in Ayodhya district," the chief minister said on X.
Sharing a picture of the meeting, with the family members' faces blurred, he posted in Hindi, “The culprits will not be spared at any cost, (and) strict action will be taken against them. We are committed to getting justice for the girl.”
The station house officer of Purakalandar police station, Ratan Sharma, and the Bhadarsa police outpost in charge, Akhilesh Gupta, were suspended hours after the meeting.
