UP becoming rape capital, total collapse of law and order in state: Congress

The Congress party on Saturday demanded strict action against the accused in the Unnao case, saying the Uttar Pradesh government has to wake up for the reality that the state is becoming the rape capital of the country. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said responsibility in the Unnao case lies at the "doorstep" of the UP government where law and order has completely collapsed.

New Delhi: Demanding strict action against the accused of Unnao rape case, Congress on Saturday targeted the Bhartiya Janata Party-led UP government over the death of the Unnao rape victim who was set ablaze, alleging that the UP government needs to wake up to realise that the state is becoming 'rape capital' of the country as the law and order has 'completely collapsed' in the state.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate also demanded strict action against the accused in the case.

While addressing the media, Shrinate said, "It is not just a failure of the society but the question and the responsibility lies at the doorstep of the UP government where the law and order has completely collapsed."

Attacking the state government for the delay in justice, Supriya questioned UP's DGP and the Chief Minister stating, " Why FIR was not registered in four months and why the accused were left out on bail,?" What actions will be taken against them? The UP CM needs to understand that it is not the first and it will not be the last if you won't wake up for the kinds of crime that are happening against women in UP."

Shrinate also got emotional while talking about the Unnao rape victim.

She said, "The victim wanted to live, she was asking for justice till her last breath. We want to know how do people get away after committing such heinous crimes? What gives them the courage of doing so? and the answer is, the collapse of law and order."

"They somehow find political protection and that is why they have the courage to go ahead and do this against our women," she said.

The Unnao rape victim took her last breath on Friday night. She was airlifted to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after she was set ablaze by five people, who are accused of the crime.

The woman, who has suffered about 90 per cent of extensive burn injuries, was first referred to a Lucknow hospital from Unnao and then was shifted to Safdarjung Hospital for proper medical treatment.

The victim, who survived the sexual assault a year ago, said in her statement that she was on her way from her village in Unnao district to Rae Bareli where the trial is going on when she was attacked and set ablaze early on Thursday morning.

According to the police, five men identified as Shubham, Shivam, Harishankar, Umesh and Ram Kishore, had allegedly thrown kerosene on the woman and set her ablaze when she was on her way to the court for a hearing in the rape case.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had taken cognisance of the incident and said that the treatment of the victim will be carried out on the government's expense and strict action will be taken against the accused.

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