Unnao Rape And Murder Case: Victim Buried In Village After Govt Assures Security, Job To Family

The mortal remains of the Unnao rape and murder victim were put to rest in her native village on Sunday. She was given a burial on Sunday afternoon with the site to be turned into a memorial in reminder of her fight against injustice. The body was taken for last rites after government assured victim's family of 24X7 security and job for her sister. Her brother will also be allowed license to hold arms for self defense. Earlier, the family of Unnao rape victim had said they would not perform the last rites unless Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited her village and assured of strict action against the accused. The family members agreed to perform her last rites following a negotiation with Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Mukesh Meshram and other senior police officials.

Heavy police force has been deployed to ensure that no untoward incident takes place. The relatives of the aggrieved family have reached the native village of the victim and the body of the rape victim was buried amidst heavy deployment of police and personnel of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).

Mukesh Meshram, Lucknow Commissioner, said told media, "We have decided to provide 24 hours security to the victim's sister and security will also be given to other family members. As demanded by the victim's brother we will provide him license to hold arms as per Arms Act, for self defense." "We will also arrange for a job for victim's sister. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana we will provide two houses to the family. Stringent action will be taken against the culprits," he said.

The victim's family has decided to give her body a burial instead of cremating it. Her devastated father told Times of India, "We will bury her. I won’t light her pyre. My beloved daughter is already burnt."

The body of the rape victim who succumbed to severe burn injuries in a Delhi hospital on Friday night had arrived in her native village on Saturday. The 23-year-old rape victim who was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with 90 per cent burns. The woman was set afire by five men, including two of her alleged rapists, on Thursday morning when she was going to Rae Bareli to attend a court hearing.

On Sunday morning, victim's sister had said the last rites would be performed only in the presence of CM Adityanath. She also claimed that her sister was about to get a government job. The sister demanded government job for one of the family members and immediate capital punishment to the accused. When the victim's sister was told that awarding capital punishment is the job of the court, she asked "Who will make rounds of court?".

Later, when the Unnao district administration proposed that the aggrieved family can meet the Chief Minister in Lucknow, the family members rejected the proposal saying they will not go there to meet him. They insisted that the chief minister come to the village and fulfil their demands.

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal Rani Varun had met the aggrieved family members on Saturday. A statement issued by the state government said labour minister Maurya handed over a cheque of Rs 25 lakh as assistance to the father of the victim.

"The family will be given a house under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. Apart from this, whatever assistance is needed in future, it will be made available from time to time. The state government is very serious and sensitive towards the unfortunate incident," Maurya said on Saturday.

He also said that directions have been issued to give stringent punishment to the accused.

"The intention of the government is that injustice should not be done to anyone," Maurya said, adding the guilty will not be spared.