Gangrape allegations catch Maya Govt off guard

Dhanni Deeh is snowballing into the first major crisis for the Mayawati Government.

Dhanni Deeh is snowballing into the first major crisis for the Mayawati Government.

Even though the Government terminated the services of Sarsia SHO Navin Mishra and suspended local SP Lav Kumar and CO Mayaram for dereliction of duty on Friday, the Opposition Samajwadi Party is baying for blood. They want the Chief Minister to sack Ayurveda Education Minister Dadan Mishra, whom they claim was patronising those responsible for the gang rape of women from the minority community in the village on July 10.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma8217;s statement in the House on Friday that the Government knew nothing about the incident has not helped. The enraged SP members sat on a dharna in the well of the House and later staged a walkout demanding that the minister be sacked. The House had to be adjourned till Monday after BJP legislators too walked out.

Earlier, SP MLA Waqar Ahmad Shah8217;s told the House that hundreds of people allegedly patronised by Mishra had attacked the village in Shrawasti district on Tuesday, paraded four women naked and then gang-raped them. He claimed no FIR had been registered till Friday morning.

But, S M Tarde, the DIG Devipattan range, told The Indian Express from the spot that 17 women had been sent for medical examination after they filed written complaints with the police. 8220;We have received the reports for all of them and rape has not been confirmed.8221; A press release issued by the Home Department said 10 people have already been arrested and efforts were being made to nab others.

The trouble started a few days ago when a man from the minority community in Dhanni Deeh eloped with a girl from nearby Gharmanta village. The fact that the man was already married only added to the fire. On Tuesday, the girl8217;s family along with other villagers attacked the boy8217;s relatives. The women who were present in the village at the time of the incident alleged that they were molested.

The attack set off a wave of panic and members of the minority community started fleeing from the village. The police, meanwhile, refused to act on their complaints. The incident came to light only after some news channels flashed the news on Friday. Now, there is a heavy police presence around the village.