M A I N   N E W S

Under fire, Akhilesh ready for CBI probe; all key accused held
Shahira Naim
Tribune News Service

Lucknow, May 31
Amid mounting pressure, the Akhilesh Yadav government today decided to recommend a CBI probe into the rape, murder and public hanging of two minor Dalit cousins in Badaun district.

The victims' family today demanded public hanging of the culprits and refused to take Rs 5 lakh compensation offered to them by the state government, saying they wanted justice.

Smriti, Uma target Akhilesh Union ministers Smriti Irani and Uma Bharti on Saturday slammed CM Akhilesh Yadav over his remarks on the gangrape case. Akhilesh had told the media to propagate the fact that they did not face any danger in the state. Irani said: “The entire nation shares my outrage... There is a constitutional mandate and a responsibility that people in public office have... It is unfortunate that he (Akhilesh) has let them down.” Uma said: “Statements by Mulayam and his son only strengthen the spirit of rapists.”

Yadav had told mediapersons that he would recommend a CBI probe if the girls' family wished so.

"The Chief Minister has decided to recommend a CBI probe into Badaun incident, as demanded by family members of the victims," an official statement later said in Lucknow.

The UP Police have arrested all five accused, including the two policemen, named in the FIR. The FIR was registered against seven persons, including two unnamed men who are absconding.

Constable Chhatrapal Yadav was arrested late last night, while another accused Urvesh Yadav was detained early this morning, said Badaun SP AK Saxena.

Earlier in the day, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited the victims' family and spent time with them. He later said the families had demanded a CBI probe as they had no hope of getting justice from the state police.

"The family wants justice and not compensation. The girl's father told me that money would not bring back their daughter's honour," said Gandhi.

This was Rahul's first visit to UP outside his constituency of Amethi after the recent poll debacle. He was accompanied by AICC general secretary in-charge of Uttar Pradesh Madhusudan Mistry, state PCC chief Nirmal Khatri and AICC Scheduled Castes department chairman K Raju.

On May 27, two cousins, aged 14 and 15, went missing from their home after they had gone out. The next morning, their bodies were found hanging from a mango tree in the village.

Three brothers — Pappu Yadav, Awadhesh Yadav and Urvesh Yadav — were booked under Sections 302 (murder) and 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code, while Sarvesh Yadav and Chhatrapal Yadav were booked under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy).

Katra Sadatganj police outpost in-charge Ram Vilas Yadav was suspended and services of two other policemen terminated. The post-mortem report confirmed that the minors were raped before being murdered.

(With PTI inputs)