Unnao Rape Survivor, Lawyer On Life Support, 2 Relatives Dead After Truck Crashes Into Their Car

A car in which the survivor of Unnao rape case, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by an over-speeding truck in Rae Bareli on Sunday, killing two members while leaving her and the advocate critically injured, police said.

Unnao Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Verma said the rape survivor, her paternal and maternal aunts along with their advocate met with an accident while on their way to meet her uncle, who is lodged in Rae Bareli jail.

The rape survivor’s maternal aunt succumbed to injuries in a district hospital and the others were transferred to a trauma centre in Lucknow, police said.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year.

Days before Sengar’s arrest, the survivor’s father had died in judicial custody due to severe injuries. The case is being investigated by the CBI , which accused Sengar “framing the victim’s father in a false case”.

On Sunday, a relative of the survivor accused Senghar and his associates of planning the accident to threaten the family and stop them from pursuing the case. “Everyone in the village knew they were going to Rae Bareli jail,” said her cousin in Unnao told the Indian Express .

The survivor, in December 2018, had alleged that the family received daily threats against pursuing the case and to withdraw the case against Sengar. 

BJP’s Unnao MP Sakshi Maharaj had met rape accused at the Sitapur district after the Lok Sabha election jail to “thank” him .

Rape survivor critical, advocate on ventilator

UP Congress leader Aradhana Mishra, who went to visit the injured on the directions of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told PTI, “The rape survivor is in a very critical condition and the advocate is on ventilator. According to doctors, one person had died on the spot, while another was declared dead upon their arrival at the trauma centre.” 

Quoting eyewitnesses, Rae Bareli Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Singh said that an over-speeding truck hit the car carrying the rape survivor.

“There were showers and the truck driver lost control over the vehicle which rammed into the car,” he said.

The truck driver had fled from the spot after the accident.

The Unnao case had come to light after the survivor allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence. Her mother alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her teenage daughter at his residence in 2017.

Security guards provided for her protection did not accompany survivor

NDTV reports the truck’s driver and owner have been arrested.

The number plate of the vehicle had reportedly been scrubbed with black paint. However, police said they did not have information on this.

“The rape survivor’s family had been provided security, but the gunner had not accompanied them on Sunday. The reason behind it is being probed,” ADG Lucknow Rajeev Krishna said, adding, “The truck involved in the accident has been impounded. It has a Fatehpur district registration plate.”

Verma said on the directives of senior officials, he along with the mother of the rape survivor, three sisters and brother rushed to Lucknow.

The SP also said, “It has come to light that the gunner who usually accompanies the family (of the rape survivor) did not go with them. Why the gunner did not accompany them is being probed, and based on its outcome, action will be initiated accordingly.” 

The accident comes on the same day Union home minister Amit Shah was in the state to attend a government event. At the event, Shah praised UP CM Yogi Adityanath government for improving the law and order situation in the last two years.