UP Police Forms SIT To Probe Unnao Rape Survivor Accident; Congress Demands Home Minister Speak

Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate into the accident of Unnao rape survivor, whose car was hit by a truck, killing two of her aunts and critically injuring the woman and her lawyer.

The state government had sent a formal request to the Centre to transfer the case to the CBI on Monday following the outrage over the accident.

"Until CBI takes over the case, an SIT has been constituted which will be headed by Additional Superintendent of Police, Raebareli. It will have three different teams. All of them have been assigned different responsibilities. The SIT will look into all the aspects of the case," said IG Law and Order, Praveen Kumar.

Meanwhile, Opposition parties, including Congress, SP,  and BSP, raised slogans and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of "extending patronage" to MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Unnao legislator accused of raping the girl. 

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury raised the matter saying the UP government's claim to convert the state into an "Uttam Pradesh" (best state) was a hollow promise as it was moving in the direction of becoming an "Adham Pradesh" (bad state).

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Chowdhury said the people of India were ashamed today because of Unnao incident which is a "blot" on the society. "A minor girl was gang-raped and then a truck hit victim's car, killed a family member and injured the woman and her lawyer," he said.

The Congress leader demanded Home Minister Amit Shah come to the house and issue a statement. "What kind of a society are we talking about, where such an incident (accident of Unnao rape case victim in Raebareli) happened with the victim," he was quoted as saying by ANI.

Meanwhile, opposition members from Congress, TMC, DMK and NCP, trooped near the Speaker's podium shouting "Prime Minister jawab do" and "We want justice" and asked: "Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Ka Kya Hua?" (What happened to Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme).

Sengar, his brother, and 8 others were booked for murder on Monday after a complaint was filed by the rape survivor's uncle in Rae Bareli. The car in which the family was travelling was hit by a speeding truck, killing two aunts and critically injuring the woman and her lawyer.

The condition of the girl remains "highly critical". The rape survivor was put on ventilator support after her health deteriorated further on Monday morning. Her lawyer Mahendra Singh has been on a ventilator ever since he was brought to the Trauma Centre on Sunday evening, hours after the accident.

"The girl has sustained internal injuries besides fractures in her collar bone, ribs and right thigh. The lawyer has head injury besides 13 fractures in all. Both are on ventilator and their condition remains critical," said trauma surgery head, Sandeep Tiwari.

The doctors refused to comment on the survival possibility of both patients.

The rape survivor's mother, who also sustained serious injuries, has alleged there was a "conspiracy" to wipe off her family.

Congress workers led by the leader of the Legislature Party Ajay Kumar Lallu staged a dharna, demanding the expulsion of the BJP lawmaker from the party.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, who met the family members of the rape survivor at the hospital, held the government fully responsible for the accident.

"Can the state government not ensure justice to this beti (daughter). What is the fault of the family members? If something happens to the two injured who will be responsible for it," Yadav said.

According to doctors at the KGMU Trauma Centre, both -- the girl and her lawyer --are on ventilator and their condition was being monitored.

Outside the Trauma Centre, the family members of the rape survivor staged the dharna demanding that her uncle Mahesh Singh, who is lodged in the Rae Bareli jail, be granted parole to perform the last rites of his wife and sister-in-law who had died in the accident.

BSP president Mayawati has also supported the family on the matter and said, "After the suspicious murder of the family members of the Unnao rape survivor, the uncle not being released on parole for last rites is most inhuman and only proved the collusion of the UP government. The relatives are sitting on dharna at the medical college for parole. The government needs to pay attention to."

UP deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma reached the Trauma Centre in the afternoon and said the government stood by the family of the victim. "The FIR has been registered as they said. The family had submitted a parole application for victim's uncle. The court has made a decision," he said.

He will attend the last rites of two family members who died in the accident, he said.

The Uttar Pradesh government has recommended a CBI probe into the road accident.

The Unnao woman had alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her at his residence in 2017.

The case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.

Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year.

(With inputs from agencies)