Unnao rape survivor’s kin sent 36 SOS messages in 15 months

Lucknow, Aug 01: Since the incident took place last year, the kin of the 19-year-old rape survivor from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, wrote letters to top government officials, politicians and police officers seeking protection and help.

According to Hindustan Times report, a majority of 36 notes were written since April 2018. These notes were pleas for protection against four-time Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused of raping the teenager. But the family said that most of the letters draw out zero response from any of the authorities addressed.

Victim's maternal uncle said, "No one helped us. Police turned down our requests to take action against the MLA's henchmen who had been harassing and threatening us."

Family members claimed they approached the police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) but were forced to finally write to the Chief Justice of India on July 12, demanding action 'against people who were threatening the victim's family."

In August 2018, the family wrote to the CBI, which was probing the rape case, stating they were getting threats from Sengar's associates. After receiving the letter, the CBI shifted Senger from Unnao jail to Sitapur jail.

In a letter to then principal secretary (home) of Uttar Pradesh Arvind Kumar on July 12 , the victim's mother said the family was receiving threats from a man called as Manoj Singh, who is Sengar's brother. In another letter to the director general police (DGP) OP Singh on July 11, the victim's mother claimed a threat by Haripal Singh, husband of Sashi Singh, one of the accused in the rape case.

Unnao superintendent of police, Madhaw Prasad Verma acknowledged that "several" letters were written to the SP's office by the family. "Most of the letter was about threat for which security was already provided to the victim. Officers here told me that the security details of the victim were alerted on many occasions in response to these letters.