Lakhimpur Kheri gang-rape case: Cong demands strict action against culprits, attacks Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Kumar Lallu demanded strict action against the culprits of a gang-rape of a 13-year-old girl in Lakhimpur Kheri district and called for a thorough investigation in the case.

Speaking to ANI, Lallu said the incident has brought upon shame on UP. "The heights of brutality have been crossed. This incident has brought shame upon the state. For some time, several incidents of crime against women have come forward, be it the Hapur rape case where a 6-year-old was raped and murdered, or other incidents of acid attack and eve-teasing. The state has been traumatised," he said.

Terming the Lakhimpur Kheri incident as tragic, the Congress leader also questioned Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, saying, "Why are our daughters not safe here? The Chief Minister will have to respond." Launching a scathing attack on the Yogi Government in view of increasing incidents of violence against women, he further said that the party will pick the issue of women's safety in the UP state assembly.

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Lakhimpur case

On Saturday, police said that the National Security Act (NSA) will be invoked against the two men accused of gangrape. The victim was allegedly raped and murdered in Isanagar in Lakhimpur Kheri on Friday. Later, the police recovered her body from a sugarcane field in Isanagar.

Satyendra Kumar, Superintendent of Police (SP), Lakhimpur Kheri said two men have been booked under offences of murder and gang rape, adding that action will also be taken against them under the NSA. "Body of a 13-year-old was found from a sugarcane field in Isanagar. An FIR has been registered. Post mortem report has confirmed rape. Two men Santosh Yadav and Sanjay Gautam have been arrested and sent to jail," Kumar told the media.

"They have been booked under Section 302 (murder) and Section 376 (D) (gang rape) of the Indian Penal Code. Action against both accused will be taken under the National Security Act (NSA) as well," he said.

Earlier in the day, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav attacked the BJP government and said the harassment of girls and women is at its peak during the BJP's rule in the state.

"The ruthless killing after raping a teenage girl in Lakhimpur Kheri, UP is a shocking incident to humanity. During the BJP's rule, harassment of girls and women of Uttar Pradesh is at its peak. Why is the BJP government offering protection to accused in cases of rape, kidnapping, crime and killings? #NoMoreBJP," Yadav tweeted on Sunday.

(With ANI inputs)

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