Uttar Pradesh sets up SIT to probe Unnao rape survivor’s car crash

After formally requesting the CBI to take over investigation of the Rae Bareli road accident in which the Unnao rape survivor and her lawyer have been critically injured and two other relatives killed, Uttar Pradesh's Yogi Adityanath government on Tuesday set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the case.

Inspector General of Police, Law and Order, Praveen Kumar said that till the Central Bureau of Investigation takes, the SIT headed by Rae Bareli's Additional Superintendent of Police Shashi Shekhar Singh and three Circle Officers as members would immediately begin work and take charge of crucial evidence.

The members are CO, Rae Bareli (City), Gopi Nathi Soni, CO, Lalganj, Laxmikant Gautam and CO, Maharajganj, Rajendra Prasad Shahi.

The condition of the rape survivor and her lawyer continues to be precarious.

A doctor who is part of the team treating her at the Trauma Centre of the King George Medical University here, said that besides the brain injury, a broken rib had punctured her lung, causing excessive bleeding due to which her blood pressure had fallen. She continues to be on life support.

The last rites of the two aunts who died in the car crash on Sunday were performed in Makhi village in Unnao on Tuesday after her uncle, Mahesh Singh, got a day's parole.

The district administration has made elaborate arrangements to hold the cremation at Maakhi under tight security.

Meanwhile, a letter confirming that the family was under tremendous pressure from the BJP Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his aides has appeared on the social media.

On July 12, 2019, in the letter addressed to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, the rape survivor had urged him to "take action against those who are making threats".

"People came to my house and threaten us to take back the cases otherwise my whole family will be put in jail in fake cases", the letter said.

Meanwhile, Congress leaders led by MLA Ajay Singh Lallu sat on a dharna at the Gandhi statue, demanding the BJP expel the accused MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

UP BJP state president Swatantra Dev Singh told reporters that Sengar had long been suspended from the party and will stay suspended till the case continues.