Rahul Gandhi meets Banda rape victim

Shahbajpur (Lucknow), Feb 7 (ANI): Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi on Monday met the teenaged girl, who was allegedly raped by Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Purushottam Naresh Dwivedi, in her village here and assured her of all possible help.

The victim earlier claimed that she was getting threats from the MLA's henchmen.

"Rahul arrived at the house this afternoon and had a glass of milk which I served," the 17-year-old girl told reporters in Shahbajpur village, about 220 kilometers from Lucknow.

Rahul Gandhi met the girl for about 30 minutes.

"I narrated the entire incident to him and sought security for myself," said the girl, and alleged that she was still getting threats from the jailed MLA's brother and BSP men.

"I told him (Rahul) that no heed is being paid to my complaints. He wrote down all my grievances and assured me of all possible help," she added.

The Mayawati Government had come under severe criticism following the Banda rape case. The MLA was later in December jailed after he implicated her in a false theft case.

The girl was allegedly raped on December 10-11 at Dwivedi's residence. She escaped from the MLA's house on December 12, when he allegedly attempted to rape her for the third time and charged her with theft. (ANI)