NCW team meets Budaun gangrape and murder victim's family, says timely action could have saved life

A team from the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday met the family members of the 50-year-old anganwadi worker, who was gangraped and brutally murdered allegedly by a temple priest and two others, and expressed dissatisfaction over the police action in the case. Member ChandramukhiDevi, who arrived in Budaun on Wednesday night after the NCW took note of the incident, met officials and took stock of the action taken in this connection. She also visited the village of the deceased and met her family members. On Sunday, the 50-year-old woman who had gone to a temple was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Her family members have accused the temple priest and his aides of raping and murdering her. A case has been registered against the accused and two of them were arrested on Tuesday night, while the priest is still absconding. “I am not satisfied with the role of the police. Had timely action been taken, perhaps the life of the victim could have been saved, Chandramukhi Devi told newspersons. The SSP has told me that the woman was found in an unconscious state and had she got treatment, her life could have been saved. The FIR was filed late and the post mortem examination was also done much later, she said, adding that the autopsy report explains that the incident was “most sickening and unfortunate”. SSP Sankalp Sharma had on Wednesday said the post-mortem report has confirmed rape and there are injuries in the victim’s private parts and a fracture in her leg. The station house officer of Ughaiti police station has been suspended for laxity in the case, he had said. The NCW member said the incident is “most heinous and strict action should be taken. The government is very serious on these matters and yet such incidents take place”. She said the woman was earning the livelihood of her family, adding that the culprits had planned the action as they had called her to the temple through a phone call. Suspending a station officer is not enough. I have told the SSP thatno one involved should be spared under pressure, Devi said. She said such incidents are taking place despite campaigns like ’ beti bachao-beti padhao’ and ‘mission Shakti’ as criminals have no fear of police, and people’s faith will be restored only when action is taken against criminals. Meanwhile, formerSamajwadi Party MP Dharmendra Yadav alleged that the police and administration purposely delayed the post mortem examination and did not disclose the report. Yadav, who met the victim’s family as part of a Samajwadi Party team sent by party chief Akhilesh Yadav, alleged that crime against women is at its peak under the current government which makes tall claims about women’s empowerment. He also alleged that action against culprits under the Yogi Adityanath government is taken on the basis of their castes.