Political activist and protesting farmers’ leader Yogendra Yadav’s statement has run foul to the version of one accused in the sordid rape case of a girl from Bengal who had come to be a part of the protesting farmers’ sit-in at Tikri Border and who later succumbed to Covid-19 pandemic.
Having known about the girl’s trouble since April 24 at least, if not before, Yadav had claimed in a press conference—and possibly repeated the same to Haryana police—that while the girl was being taken away by the accused to a distant location, he spoke to them on the phone and asked them to return to the site of protesting farmers, at Tikri.
Now one of the accused, Anup Chanaut in a video has claimed, as per Dainik Jagran, that he was accompanying the victim away from Tikri on the direction of the Committee after she had tested positive on April 24. And that Samyukta Kisan Morcha’s leaders knew about it.
As per Anup: “She (victim) began to have fever on April 21. On April 24, her condition began to deteriorate. Her father then spoke to Yogendra Yadav. Looking at her condition, I suggested she be taken to Delhi for recovery. But the Committee asked me to take her to Bengal. Her stuff was put in the car. Only after everyone agreed, that’s when we left with the girl. I left with the girl only after the Committee put the pressure on me.”
Further, Yadav had said that when he spoke to accused they said they were in Agra but as per his mobile’s location, they were in Hansi (Hisar, Haryana).
In a series of report in this Hindi national daily, some interesting facts have emerged which, needless to say, have been given a quiet burial by the Lutyens Media.
A report in the same newspaper says that the Haryana Police has now widened its scope of investigations and claims that a lot more than the original six mentioned in the FIR are now being questioned. Police feels quite a few at the Tikri site knew of the trauma of the girl-victim but they kept the matter to themselves.
Further, the police claims one of the woman-associate of the victim had divulged a great deal of details on the matter but is not cooperating now. She hasn’t responded to police’ summons.
Meanwhile, neither Anup Chanaut nor Anil Malik, the other accused, have yet been apprehended by the police. Police is ascertaining the location from where Chanaut has released his video.
Yogendra Yadav meanwhile was interrogated by the police for over an hour on Tuesday. A complaint has been filed against him for disclosing the identity of the girl-victim. Further he made public the identity of her father during a press conference. The complainant has asked for a case to be filed against the political activist.
Quite a few facts which have emerged out of the sordid case are disturbing. There is every telltale sign that Yadav knew something was amiss yet he kept the matter to himself. The girl died on April 30, and was cremated, in a background reeking of foul play, yet neither Yadav nor anyone else amongst farmer leaders brought it to the notice of police.
(The irony is complete on two count: Yadav had painted the town red on the Hathras “rape” case. Yet here he didn’t involve the police even after the girl had died and been cremated. The same is true of Lutyens Media. They had pulled all stops on the Hathras case. But on this rape and murder of girl at Tikri, they have covered the story indifferently.
The Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal misses no opportunity to convey her commitment to women. Yet his silence on this matter is deafening. The same goes to Mamata Banerjee, chief minister of Bengal. Her political slogan is full of “Naari-shakti.” But she hasn’t quite stood up to the victim who belonged to her own state).
The background of the case could be read here.
