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UP senior cop stumped by girl's comment on Unnao case

Various student organisations jointly protest against the Unnao rape incident as they burn an effigy of main accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, in Kolkata | PTI

A senior police officer faced uneasy moments here on Wednesday when a girl student asked him if she would face the same fate as the Unnao rape victim who was recently injured in an accident.

Additional Superintendent of Police (North) R S Gautam was speaking at a 'Balika Suraksha Jaagruktaa Abhiyaan', a safety awareness campaign for girls, at Anand Bhawan school here.

Gautam said the girls should remain alert, and if they feel anything wrong is being done to them, they should immediately call up the toll-free number.

At this, a girl stood up and asked a pointed question," If the person against whom we are complaining comes to know about it, and if we meet an accident, what will happen?"

"Will I get justice on registering a protest because in Unnao an MLA had outraged the modesty of a girl, and when she was fighting the legal battle, she met an accident. She is now battling for her life," the girl further asked.

The question puzzled the officer and he cryptically said, "all complainants to toll-free number would be provided help."

On Sunday, the car in which the Unnao rape survivor, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by an overspeeding truck in Rae Bareli, killing two members and leaving her and the advocate critically injured.

The CBI, which has taken over the investigation into Sunday's truck-car collision, booked 10 people for murder, including BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar who is already in jail, charged with the rape of the Unnao woman when she was a minor in 2017.

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday filed a murder case against Sengar and nine others after the rape survivor's family filed a complaint, alleging conspiracy behind the accident.