In a stark reminder of the Delhi’s 2012 Nirbhaya case, a 50-year-old anganwadi worker was gangraped and murdered allegedly by a priest and his two accomplices in Budaun district of Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday.
While the priest is on the run, his two accomplices were arrested on Tuesday night after the post-mortem report confirmed rape, police said on Wednesday, adding the woman’s leg and a rib bone too were found fractured and there were injuries in her private parts.
The incident, which triggered an uproar in political circles, took place on Sunday and the matter came to light that night when the priest and his accomplices took the body to the victim’s home, saying it was found in a dry well in the temple premises.
Taking cognisance of the incident, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered “strongest possible action” in the case even as Opposition parties attacked his Government, terming the incident “horrific” and “shameful”. The CM has directed the ADG Bareilly zone to report back to the Government on the incident and action taken against the accused. The CM has also said that STF would be assisting the district police in the investigation.
The National Commission for Women too took note of the incident and decided to send a team of its members to probe the incident.
About the incident, Budaun’s Senior Superintendent of Police Sankalp Sharma said, “The post-mortem report confirms rape and there are injuries in her private parts and a fracture in the leg.”
She suffered a rib fracture too, he added, citing the autopsy report.
The SSP said the station house officer (SHO) of Ughaiti police station has been suspended for “delay in informing higher authorities, laxity in taking action, dereliction of duty and failure in taking speedy action”. Four teams have been formed to nab the priest, the SSP said.
“The 50-year-old woman, who had gone to a temple on Sunday, was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Family members of the woman have accused the temple mahant (priest) and his accomplices of raping and murdering her. Based on this, a case was registered against the accused. Two of the accused persons were arrested on Tuesday night while the mahant is still absconding,” he said.
Four teams have been formed to nab the priest, the SSP said. Following the incident, Bareilly ADG Avinash Chandra too visited the crime spot and announced a reward of Rs 50,000 on the arrest of the absconding priest.
Thursday, 07 January 2021 | PNS | Lucknow
