Lucknow: The Mayawati government is having a tough time defending its position on the law and order front, with the string of rapes reported frequently from various parts of the state. It's grim when coupled with the murder of two chief medical officers within a span of six months, and the killing of four persons over land in western UP.
Close on the heels of the alleged rape and murder of a minor by cops in a police station in Lakhimpur Kheri district, two more rape cases have been reported over the weekend. In one of these cases, a 14-year-old Dalit girl was blinded when she resisted rape by two youths in Gursahaiganj area in Kannauj.
In another incident, an 18-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth at gunpoint in Ranipur Beladi village in Basti district of eastern UP. The two incidents took place within days of an alleged rape and murder of a minor in a police station in the state. In another incident, an 18-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth in Ranipur Beladi village in Basti district of eastern UP. One Satti Singh allegedly raped the girl at gunpoint on Saturday night, police sources here said.
In the Kannauj incident, Dilip and Niranjan Yadav attempted to rape the girl when she stepped out of her house early morning on Saturday in Gadwa Buzurg village. Superintendent of Police Rajendra Singh told reporters: "When the girl raised an alarm, the duo attacked her with knives, piercing her left eye and injuring the other. Both the accused are from the girl's village," the SP said.
Doctors at a Kanpur hospital later said the girl's left eye had been completely damaged while the right one had suffered around 80 per cent damage and it might not be normal again as the cornea was affected.
While one accused Niranjan has been arrested, Dilip was still at large. A sub-inspector and a constable have been suspended for negligence in the case, an official spokesman said.
The horrific incident in Kannauj was likely to add to the troubles of chief minister Mayawati who was already facing severe criticism from opposition parties over the Lakhimpur Incident.
Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh has slammed the police force in the state saying UP officers are corrupt and incompetent. "There is no hope of justice for the poor and deprived section in this regime," he said. UP Congress Chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi too lashed out at the Maya government saying criminals are going scot-free. "What else can one expect when ministers and ruling party leaders are openly protecting criminals," she said.
Samajwadi Party (SP) state president Akhilesh Yadav said there was complete lawlessness in the state. "The government is too busy indulging in corruption to take care of law and order," he remarked.
Meanwhile, a BSP spokesman said opposition parties were playing petty politics to discredit the state government. "The Congress should first look at its record in Delhi, Haryana and Rajasthan before raising a finger at the UP government," he said. "One of the accused has already been arrested (in Kannauj) and two policemen suspended for reacting late in taking up the case. The opposition should appreciate the prompt action instead of criticising the government," he said.