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Unnao gangrape victim, kin demand death penalty for BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar

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Unnao gangrape victim, kin demand death penalty for BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar

After unconfirmed reports that CBI has corroborated the politically sensitive gangrape allegation against Kuldeep Singh Sengar, BJP MLA from Bangarmau in Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, and the attempt to cover up the case, the survivor and her family on Friday, May 11 demanded death penalty for the accused politicians.

The CBI, however, has officially denied reports that rape charges against Sengar have been confirmed, stating that such stories are completely speculative.

“In response to media queries related to a news item published today in a National Daily, it is stated that investigation in Unnao case is still continuing. CBI has not given any update/conclusion/views with respect to the case to any mediaperson. All such stories related to Unnao case published/broadcast in the media recently are purely speculative.”

The CBI statement came after a report in The Times of India (TOI), picked up by several news organisations, said quoting CBI sources that the agency has corroborated the survivor’s charge that Kuldeep Singh Sengar raped her at his home in Uttar Pradesh’s Makhi village on June 4 last year while his female accomplice, Shashi Singh, stood guard outside the room.

The report said the agency found that while the survivor had consistently named Sengar, MLA from Bangarmau, UP, among those who violated her, local police kept the MLA and some other accused out of the FIR filed on June 20 as well as the chargesheet filed later.

The central agency has recorded the survivor’s statement before a magistrate under CrPC Section 164, in which she stood by the allegations. Statements recorded under CrPC Section 164 are admissible in court as evidence.

The police, a CBI officer said, also connived with the accused to delay the girl’s medical examination and didn’t send the vaginal swab or her clothes to the forensic laboratory.

As this report started doing the rounds, the Unnao gang-rape victim and her relatives demanded death penalty for Sengar. The victim said, “I demand the death penalty for Sengar for raping me and for the murder of my father.”

The victim’s uncle said, “We demand protection for our family so that we can give our statement before the court fearlessly. We demand death penalty for Kuldeep Sengar.”

On May 8, Sengar, main accused in the Unnao rape case was shifted from the Unnao Jail to Sitapur Jail after an appeal was filed in the Allahabad High Court by the victim’s family, reported ANI.

The Bangarmau MLA from Unnao district who till recently enjoyed ‘Y’ category security has three cases registered against him.

The Uttar Pradesh Police has charged him under Sections 363 (kidnapping), 366 (abduction of woman), 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and handed over the case to the CBI.

In February, the girl’s family had moved the court, seeking to include the MLA’s name in the case. Subsequently, the victim’s father was booked by the police under the Arms Act on April 3 and put in jail on April 5.

Frustrated with the alleged police inaction and coercion from influential people, the victim attempted self-immolation in front of Chief Minister Adityanath’s residence on April 8.

The next day, her father died in jail with the post-mortem examination report suggesting serious injuries on his body.

Sengar, a four-time MLA, enjoys an immense clout, cutting across party lines, in rural areas of Unnao district.

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Rahul Gandhi says air pollution in North India a national emergency, tourism declining, global reputation crumbling

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday said the air pollution in North India is a national emergency that needs a collective national response and not a political blame game. The Congress leader added that due to air pollution tourism is declining and “our global reputation is crumbling”.

It is a public health crisis that is stealing children’s future and suffocating the elderly, Gandhi said, adding an environmental and economic disaster that is ruining countless lives.

“As Parliament meets in a few days, MPs will all be reminded of the crisis by our irritated eyes and sore throats. It is our responsibility to come together and discuss how India can end this crisis once and for all,” the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha said.

The former Congress chief said the poorest “among us suffer the most”, unable to escape the toxic air surrounding them. Families are gasping for clean air, children are falling sick, and millions of lives are being cut short, he added.

The Rae Bareli MP noted that the pollution cloud covers hundreds of kilometres. He said cleaning it up will require major changes and decisive action from governments, companies, experts, and citizens.

“We need a collective national response, not political blame games,” the Congress leader said on his X handle.

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far.

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Indian Navy submarine collides with fishing boat near Goa coast, 2 fishermen missing

Indian Navy officials on Friday said that an Indian fishing vessel with a crew of 13 collided with an Indian Naval submarine near the Goa coast. 

Following the incident, a massive search and rescue operation has been launched by the Indian Navy, which has deployed six ships and aircraft. Reportedly, while 11 crew have been rescued, two are still missing.

The Ministry of Defence issued a statement and said that the vessel, Marthoma, collided with a Scorpene-class submarine about 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast. It added that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two are underway and are being coordinated with Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre Mumbai (MRCC). It further mentioned that additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts.

The statement said that the cause of the incident is being investigated. Notably, Scorpene-class submarines are a major part of India’s naval power in the Indian Ocean as they can undertake multifarious types of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying, and area surveillance.

Reports said that the state-of-the-art technology utilised for the construction of the Scorpene-class submarines has ensured superior stealth features such as advanced acoustic silencing techniques, low radiated noise levels, hydro-dynamically optimized shape and the ability to launch a crippling attack on the enemy using precision-guided weapons. Furthermore, the attack can be launched with both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, whilst underwater or on the surface.

Meanwhile, the Indian Navy in its statement said that 13 crew members were aboard the fishing vessel at the time of the collision. It added that while 11 crew have been rescued so far, two fishermen are still reported missing.

A spokesperson from the Navy told the media that eleven crew have been rescued so far. He stated that search and rescue efforts for the remaining two crew members of Marthoma are in progress and are being coordinated with the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai. Additional assets including from the Coast Guard have been diverted to the area to augment the efforts, he continued.

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10 Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area.

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Ten Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Friday.

The confrontation started in the morning within a forest area under the jurisdiction of the Bhejji police station, where a joint operation was being conducted by security personnel as part of an anti-Naxalite initiative, according to Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. 

This operation was initiated following intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists connected to the Konta and Kistaram area committees, situated in the forested regions around Korajguda, Dantespuram, Nagaram, and Bhandarpadar villages.

So far, the bodies of ten Naxalites have been recovered at the scene. Additionally, a significant cache of weapons was seized, including an INSAS rifle, an AK-47, and a Self Loading Rifle (SLR). 

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) continue their search operation in the area. This incident contributes to the year-to-date total of 207 Naxalite fatalities recorded in various clashes across the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, comprising seven districts. 

On Wednesday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the national capital, North Block. Their discussion focused on developmental progress in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh and efforts aimed at enhancing peace and stability in these regions. 

The Chief Minister emphasised that both the state government and security forces are diligently working to eradicate Naxal influence in Chhattisgarh, aligning with the Union Home Minister’s commitment to eliminate Naxalism by 2026.

“I met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and updated him about the Naxal activities in Chhattisgarh. Over the past 11 months, close to 200 Naxals have been neutralized, and approximately 600-700 have surrendered. We are making significant strides towards the goal set by the Prime Minister and Home Minister to achieve a Naxal-free India by March 2026,” CM Sai told reporters following the meeting.

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