"Atrocities against women are on rise": Akhilesh Yadav slams UP govt

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], October 12 (ANI): Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday alleged that rape cases and atrocities against women have witnessed an increase  as the "police are being used for political purposes" under the Yogi Adiyanth-led BJP goverment in Uttar Pradesh

Yadav's latest attack came while responding to reporters on the alleged gangrape of a student in Lucknow. He did not agree with the policy of shooting at the legs of miscreants during encounters.

"This isn't the first case under this government. Rape cases and atrocities against women are on the rise, and the number of incidents is increasing because the police are being used for political purposes. The BJP is not allowing the police to do their jobs. Encounter cannot be the solution..."

Nipun Agrawal, DCP South Lucknow, told ANI that the police were informed that the alleged gangrape had taken place around 5 pm on Saturday. He also said that the accused has been injured during an encounter in retaliroy firing with police.

"At around 5 PM yesterday, Banthra Police was informed that a gangrape had taken place. FIR was registered against the accused on the complaint of the father of the victim, and teams were formed to arrest them. Late last night, when the Police were conducting checks at Harauni Railway Station, two bike-borne men were asked to stop, but they tried to flee from the spot and opened fire on the Police. In retaliation, when the Police opened fire, one person was injured. He has been taken to the hospital. The injured, Lalit Kashyap, is the accused in the gangrape case... The second person fled from the location. We are searching for him. Another team of Police has arrested the third accused involved in the gangrape incident"

Further investigation is underway, DCP South added.

Yadav cited an NCRB report on the safety of women and accused the BJP government of "hiding its failure" during their nine-year tenure.

"According to the NCRB data presented by the BJP, women are unsafe on a large scale. The BJP wants to hide its failure. Most harassment and injustice are occurring continuously in Uttar Pradesh... There is corruption in every department. The departments that should provide facilities and assistance to the people of Uttar Pradesh have been rife with corruption in every department during their nine-year tenure..." (ANI)