Unnao rape survivor who was burnt on way to court, dies in Delhi, anger across India

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

NewsBits.in

BHOPAL: The 23-year-old Unnao gang rape survivor who was set afire when she was on way to the court, succumbed to the burns in the Safdarjang hospital in Delhi. 

She was gang raped in December last year (2018) but the case was registered in March 2019. The rape victim was on way to the Raebareli court to attend the hearing on December 5, when the five persons including the two rape accused, overpowered her and set her ablaze. 

The main accused, Shivam, had been released on bail just five days ago (on November 30). The five accused include Shubham Trivedi, Shivam Trivedi, Umesh Vajpayee, Raj Kishor and Hari Shankar.

All of them have been arrested now. Shivam and Shubham had allegedly raped the girl in December 2018. It took more than three months before the FIR was registered at the Lalganj police station in Raibareli.

FIR WAS REGISTERED AFTER MONTHS, ONLY AFTER COURT'S DIRECTION

In the complaint, she had narrated the ordeal that she was raped at gun point, the incident was video recorded and she was sexually abused repeatedly under the threat of making the video public. In fact, the police hadn't taken action and despite complaint to SP, FIR was not registered. It took a court case that police finally registered FIR. 

When she was on way to take train to Raebareli on December 5, Shivam, Rak Kishor Trivedi, Shubham Trivedi, Hari Shankar Trivedi and Umesh, attacked her, poured petrol on her and set her afire. She had to walk for 1 km in this condition before she could get some help.

The manner in which she was not provided any security earlier and was finally burnt, has led to outrage across the country. She had suffered 90% burns and was in an an extremely critical state shen she was airlifted to Delhi, however, she couldn't be saved. Now, the state goverment has said that it would ensure speedy justice and trial would fast-tracked.

THE SECOND RAPE CASE OF UNNAO: NO JUSTICE IN SIGHT EVEN NOW

Unnao has been in the news for atrocities against women for quite sometime now. Earlier, another rape case in Unnao had taken centre stage in the country. BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar had allegedly raped a 17-year-old girl.

He was arrested in April 2018, a year later. In July 2019, a truck had hit the car in which the survivor, her lawyer and aunts, were on way to Rae Bareli. Even though Supreme Court asked to expedite the legal proceedings and complete the trial within 45 days, the trail against Sengar continues.