Thaindian News

Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh), June 29 (IANS) Expressing dissatisfaction with the police investigation into the alleged rape and killing of a girl in a police station here, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi Wednesday said the demand by the victim’s family for a CBI probe was justified.

“They (victim’s family members) need justice…They want to know all what took place here…they believe they will not get justice and therefore they are demanding a CBI probe into the case,” Gandhi told reporters after arriving here on a surprise visit to meet the victim’s family.

“It’s shameful that crime incidents in Uttar Pradesh are taking place inside police stations. The victim’s family has still not got the FIR (first information report) copy,” he said after meeting the victim’s family members in Nighasan town.

The body of the 14-year-old girl was found hanging from a tree June 10 inside the Nighasan police station premises in this district.

Police initially had dismissed the girl’s death as suicide, but a second autopsy confirmed that the girl was strangulated.

Eleven policemen, as also the three doctors who conducted the first autopsy, have been suspended

The victim’s family has been demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case, alleging that the girl was raped.

At present, the Criminal Investigation Department of the Uttar Pradesh Police is probing the case.

According to party sources, the Congress general secretary was with the victim’s family for nearly one-hour-and-20-minutes and also visited the police station where the incident occurred.

The girl’s mother later told the media: “I do not have any confidence or hope that I would get justice in UP. I am not seeking justice not just for my daughter but I am fighting for securing justice and a sense of security for all women in UP.”

Gandhi, known for his unscheduled outings, took the state government by surprise by visiting Lakhimpur Kheri after curtailing a tour of his parliamentary constituency Amethi, where he arrived earlier Wednesday.

Gandhi flew to Lucknow from Amethi and headed towards Lakhimpur Kheri in a car.

“We had no information about his visit,” Special Director General of Police Brij Lal told reporters.

Lucknow District Magistrate Anil Sagar said: “It’s not proper from security point of view. We have to make certain arrangements whenever a VVIP comes.”

With an eye on next year’s Uttar Pradesh assembly polls, Rahul Gandhi had also visited a 14-year-old Dalit girl from the state who was partially blinded by her assailants when she resisted a rape attempt.

He also visited Bhatta-Parsaul village in Greater Noida after a clash between the police and farmers opposing land acquisition.

A party leader said the Congress scion could also meet the family of deputy chief medical officer Y.S. Sachan, who was found dead June 22 under mysterious circumstances inside Lucknow jail.