‘Rape victim’, villagers throw tomatoes at UP minister Dara Singh Chauhan’s house

The agitators were protesting lack of police action against a panchayat head who has been charged with rape and murder. They also accused the minister of stalling the investigation in the case.

Residents of Parasrampur village joined an alleged rape survivor in hurling tomatoes at the residence of Dara Singh Chauhan, Uttar Pradesh minister for forests and environment, during a demonstration on Thursday.

A woman in Kochi holds a placard denouncing the rise in sexual crimes against women across the country. (REUTERS File)

The agitators were demanding action against Devendra Mall alias Pappu, gram pradhan (panchayat head) of the village, who is facing rape and murder charges. The villagers have also accused the minister of stalling the investigation in the case.

Mall has been charged with raping a 24-year-old girl who was found hanging from a tree near her residence at Parasrampur on April 20. The victim’s mother, who was allegedly raped by the gram pradhan too, demonstrated in front of the minister’s house along with other villagers to protest the lack of police action in this regard.

Parasrampur figures in the Madhuban assembly constituency, which is represented by Chauhan in the Vidhan Sabha.

“We have detained eight people for protesting outside the minister’s residence,” said Gautam Palli police inspector Vijay Sen Singh.