LIVE! 'Taliban-style justice will make courts irrelevant'

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Sat, 07 December 2019

'Taliban-style justice will make courts irrelevant'

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21:53 'Taliban-style justice' will make courts irrelevant: Sibal

Senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal hit out at those hailing the Telangana encounter, saying the "savage Taliban-style justice" will make courts irrelevant.

All four accused in the rape-and-murder case of a 25-year-old Hyderabad woman veterinarian last month were killed in an exchange of fire with police near Hyderabad on Friday morning, police said.

"To the cheerleaders of: Telangana Encounter. Blood lust vs due process. The savage Taliban-style justice vs the civilised...will make courts irrelevant," Sibal said in a tweet.

The gang rape-and-murder triggered a nationwide outrage with the public and lawmakers demanding speedy punishment to the perpetrators.

The state government had ordered setting up of a special court (fast track) to expedite the trial. -- PTI

Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday said no punishment can be stricter than death penalty for rapists even as she appealed to parents to teach their children to respect women.

She also said parents should be mindful of portrayal of women before their children.

"There are talks for a enacting a provision of stricter punishment for rapists. The government has already come out with the provision of death penalty. Nothing can be more severe than handing capital punishment (for rapists)," she said.

The women and children development minister was speaking at a function here in Madhya Pradesh.

Irani's comments came against the backdrop of recent incidents of rapes and murders in Hyderabad and Unnao in Uttar Pradesh.

"We, as citizen, look up to (government) establishments for justice. Such establishments, media, film and literature etc. are held responsible for rape cases. As parents we should keep in mind how we are portraying women before our children," Irani said.

The BJP leader said the government has made a provision of death penaltyfor rapists.

"There is no bigger punishment than capital punishment," she added.

Irani also underlined child pornography as another challenge before the society.

"It is responsibility of parents to teach their children to treat women properly," she added.

Irani said funds are being utilised for setting up 1023 fast track courts in the country for speedy disposal of rape cases.

She said a national database of more than seven lakh offenders found guilty of rape is readied to keep an eye on them.

The minister also said the society should come forward to provide legal aid to rape survivors. -- PTI

Vinay Sharma, one of the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case, on Saturday sought immediate withdrawal of his mercy plea from President Ram Nath Kovind, saying it was sent without his consent.

The convict wrote to the president, alleging his mercy plea, which was forwarded to him from the the Ministry of Home Affairs, had been sent by the Tihar jail authorities with a "malafide intention" and in "criminal conspiracy" with the Delhi government.

Sharma said he was yet to exhaust all legal remedies available to him before filing the mercy plea as he has not filed any curative petition before the Supreme Court.

"It is therefore prayed to your kind honour that until the exhaustion of the judicial remedies, including those yet to be filed and/or pending in the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court by me as well as my co-accused, you may allow me to withdraw this mercy petition which has been filed without my consent and signature.

"Additionally, you are requested in the interim not to take any decision on my mercy petition," Sharma said in the letter, sent through his lawyer A P Singh.

In his letter to President Kovind, Sharma also said his mercy plea was sent "fraudulently", without annexing to it any document detailing the mitigating circumstances of his case and by concealing various important facts so that the same is rejected.

The convict also pleaded that taking any step on his mercy plea would amount to a grave injustice as he was yet to exhaust all his judicial remedies.

A Delhi court had recently directed Tihar Jail authorities to produce the four convicts before it on December 13 so that they can apprise the court about the status of their petitions.

The court was hearing a plea by the victim's parents who have sought a direction to the jail authorities to expedite the execution of the convicts.

The victim's parents had approached the court saying the convicts have exhausted all legal remedies. -- PTI

19:35 Rs 25L aid to Unnao rape victim's family

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh for the family of the Unnao rape victim, a senior official said.

Other facilities to be extended to the family will be looked at the local level, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi told PTI.

Senior UP minister Swami Prasad Maurya who was sent to Unnao to meet the bereaved family, also made an announcement in this regard there.

"The chief minister is very much with the family of the deceased in this hour of crisis. The culprits will be dealt with sternly and punished. A fast track court will be set up with this view in mind," Maurya said.

Besides Rs 25 lakh, the family will be given a government house, he said.

Earlier in the day, UP ministers Maurya, Kamal Rani Varun and local BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj met the victim's family in Unnao.

A woman poured suspected inflammable liquid on her minor daughter outside Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital on Saturday afternoon while demanding justice for the Unnao victim, police said.

The incident occurred nearly an hour after the Unnao gang rape-and-murder victim's body was taken to her village in Uttar Pradesh from Safdarjung after a post-mortem.

When media persons were speaking to the nearby people, the woman came there shouting "we want justice" and immediately poured what is suspected to be an inflammable substance on her minor daughter, sources said.

However, the police saved the girl and took the woman along with them.

The woman said she was traumatised by the recent Unnao rape-and-murder case and came to the Safdarjung Hospital after hearing about her death, a senior officer said, adding that they had sent the liquid to check its property.

On Thursday, the rape victim from Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital after she was set on fire by five people. She died on Friday night.

"Abki baar 3 paar" (This time we will cross three seats) would be the slogan of the Bharatiya Janata Party for the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday while taking a dig at the saffron party which had won just three seats in the 2015 polls.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi, Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party's slogan would be "abki baar 67 paar" (this time we will cross 67 seats) in the assembly polls due early next year.

When asked whether he considers Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari a competitor in the elections, the chief minister praised him for his singing.

"Have you heard him singing 'Rinkiya ke papa'," Kejriwal quipped. -- PTI

18:46 UP Mins, MP heckled at Unnao victim's village

Protests were held on Saturday evening as Uttar Pradesh ministers Swami Prasad Maurya and Kamal Rani Varun along with local Bharatiya Janata Party MP Sakshi Maharaj reached the village of the Unnao gangrape victim to meet her family.

A number of protestors including some local Congress leaders sustained injuries as police used force to disperse the crowd which gathered outside the residence of the victim and shouted 'vaapas jaao, vapaas jaao' (go back) and raised slogans against the state government and Sakshi Maharaj.

The sloganeering continued for 15 minutes.

Police used force against the protesters after which the two ministers and the MP could be taken to the victim's home, villagers said.

The 23-year-old rape victim who was airlifted to Delhi and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital with 90 per cent burns after being set afire by the accused died following a cardiac arrest at 11.40 pm on Friday.

Security forces on Saturday recovered and defused an improvised explosive device in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said.

The IED was found by a "road-opening party" in the morning on a highway in the Warpora-Handwara area in the north Kashmir district, a police official said.

The bomb disposal squad reached the spot and seized the IED that was later defused, the official said. -- PTI

The postmortem of the Unnao rape victim showed that she died of extensive burn injuries, a senior doctor at the Safdarjung hospital said on Saturday.

The 23-year-old woman was set ablaze on Thursday by five people, including two who are accused of raping her.

She had suffered 90 per cent burns and was airlifted from Lucknow to the Delhi-based hospital where she died on Friday night.

The doctor said,"According to the postmortem report the victim died of extensive burn injuries."

"There was no indication of the presence of any foreign body, poisoning or suffocation on the body of the woman during postmortem conducted this morning," the doctor said.

On Friday, Dr Shalab Kumar, Head of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department at the Safdarjung hospital, had said, "Despite our best efforts, she did not survive. Her condition deteriorated towards the evening. She had a cardiac arrest around 11:10 pm. We tried to resuscitate her, but she passed away around 11:40 pm."

The woman's body is being taken to her village in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district in an ambulance.

The brother of the Unnao rape victim said his sister will get justice when all the accused go to the place "where she has gone".

"She told me, brother please save me. I am very sad that I could not save her," he told reporters on Saturday.

He said the persons involved in the incident should be either killed in an encounter or hanged.

"They do not have the right to live. We will go to Unnao from here. She has already been burnt by the accused persons and now, we will burry her," he said.

The woman died on a day four accused in the gang-rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad were killed in an 'encounter' with the Telangana police.

The Unnao rape victim was set on fire when she was on her way to Raebareli in connection with the court case filed by her.

She was airlifted to Delhi after being shifted from a local hospital to Lucknow. -- PTI

Image: Unnao rape case victim's body being taken away after the post-mortem at Safdarjung hospital, in New Delhi. Photograph: PTI Photo

16:58 Justice must never take form of revenge: CJI

Chief Justice of India SA Bobde today condemned the practice of extra-judicial killings, saying that justice loses its very character when it takes the form of revenge. The observation, made at an event in Jodhpur, comes amid a raging debate over the killing of four accused in the Telangana rape and murder case early on Friday.

"I don't think justice can ever be or ought to be instant. And justice must never ever take the form of revenge. I believe justice loses its character of justice if it becomes revenge," Chief Justice Bobde, who took over as the head of the Indian judiciary last month, said in his address at the inauguration of the new Rajasthan high court building.

He stressed as an institution, the judiciary must remain committed to making justice accessible to people by strengthening the existing avenues and evolving newer means to achieve an affordable, quick and satisfactory settlement of disputes.

At the same time, we must be aware of the changes and perception about the judiciary, the CJI said.

He said recent events in the country had sparked off an old debate with new vigour, where there was no doubt that the criminal justice system must reconsider its position and attitude towards the time it took to dispose of a criminal matter.

"We have to devise methods for not only speeding up litigation but all together preventing it. There are laws which provide for pre-litigation mediation," he said, adding that there was a need to consider compulsory pre-litigation mediation.

Surprisingly, no courses were available for conferring a degree or diploma in mediation, he said.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the government is working on more measures to revive the sagging economy.

The GDP growth slowed down to more than six-year low of 4.5 per cent in the second quarter of the current fiscal from 5 per cent recorded in the first quarter.

The government has taken several measures during August and September to boost the economy, she said at the HT Leadership Summit here.

Besides, she said, the public sector banks have disbursed nearly Rs 5 lakh crore in the last two months to boost consumption in the hinterland.

"So there are ways in which for giving stimulus for consumption. We are adopting a direct method and also the method through which we are spending on infrastructure, whose spill over can go to core industries labour and so on," she said.

Asked if there could be more measures announced to bolster economic activity, she said, the government is working on more.

On the Goods and Services Tax the finance minister said, the rate structure will have to be decided by the GST Council.

Eventually, the rates have to be rationalised, she added. -- PTI

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Saturday urged the Chief Justice of India and other senior judges to ensure that there is a mechanism to monitor quick disposal of rape cases, saying that the women of the country are under pain and distress and crying for justice.

"I would urge the CJI and other senior judge that now there must be a mechanism to monitor the disposal of these cases so that India's stature as a proud country governed by rule of law must be restored at the earliest," Prasad said, and assured government funding for it.

"The women of the country are under pain and distress. They are crying for justice," he said.

The minister said there are 704 fast-track courts for heinous offences and others and the government is in the process of setting up 1,123 dedicated courts for POCSO and rape offences.

"In the law relating to women violence, we have already laid down capital punishment and other severe punishment including completion of trial in two months time," he added.

He also said India's judiciary, be it the Supreme Court, high courts or subordinate courts, has upheld the principles of the rule of law. But, he stressed, the need to attract more talent in subordinate judiciary.

"We need to reflect more on having attraction of talent in our subordinate judiciary. We should have a good talent pool of judges. The time has come that we need to have greater induction of talent in the judiciary," he said.

The minister was speaking at a function for inauguration of a new building of the Rajasthan high court in Jodhpur. -- PTI

Congress leader and Waynad MP Rahul Gandhi on Saturday condemned the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre for the alleged rise in violence across the country, particulary against aswomen.

"You have seen the increase in violence across the country. Lawlessness, atrocities against women. Everyday we read about a girl getting raped and molested. Violence against minority communities and Dalits is also increasing," Gandhi said at the opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front convention in Sultan Bathery, Kerala.

"The reason for the increasing lawlessness is the breakdown of the institutional structures. It is because the man who is running the country believes in violence and indiscriminate use of power," Gandhi alleged.

"The world used to look towards India for direction, but now they look at us and say the country does not know how to treat its women," he said.

The remark comes a day after Unnao rape victim, who was set ablaze, died at a hospital in Delhi and the recent incident of a young veterinarian being raped, killed and set ablaze in Hyderabad by four people.

The country's biggest strength used to be its economy, now it was its biggest weakness, the Wayanad MP said adding Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have a concept of taking this country forward.

Later, Gandhi inaugurated a new department block of psychiatry and de-addiction centre at a hospital in Sultan Bathery and interacted with 400 newly trained disaster management volunteers at Kalpetta. -- PTI

Chief Justice of India S A Bobde on Saturday said the press conference held by four senior most judges of the apex court last year was just a self-corrective measure.

In an unprecedented move, Justices J Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, M B Lokur and Kurien Joseph-- had on January 12, 2018, held a press conference, saying the situation in the top court was "not in order" and many "less than desirable" things had taken place.

Ranjan Gogoi later in the year had succeeded the then chief justice of India Dipak Mishra.

"I believe the institution (judiciary) must correct itself and indeed it did during the time when the much-criticised press conference was held. It was nothing more than a self-corrective measure and I do not wish to justify it," Justice Bobde said during the inauguration of a new building of the Rajsthan high court in Jodhpur.

The CJI further said, "All judges were eminent and Justice (Ranjan) Gogoi in particular showed great competence and led the judiciary from the front."

At the same time, we must be aware of the changes and perception about the judiciary, the CJI said.

"Justice is never ought to be instant. Justice must never ever take the form of revenge. I believe justice loses its character when it becomes revenge. There is a need in the judiciary to invoke self-correcting measures but whether or not they should be publicised is a matter of debate," he said.

Surprisingly, no courses were available for conferring a degree or diploma in mediation, he said. -- PTI

14:59 Need to be alert against Pak: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India has no extra-territorial ambitions but asked the armed forces to be alert against Pakistan "which pursues terrorism as a matter of state policy".

Addressing the Passing Out Parade of the Indian Military Academy in Dehradun as the reviewing officer, Singh asked the cadets commissioned into the armed forces Saturday to take the message of service and peace to the world but be prepared to deal with a neighbour like Pakistan.

"Despite suffering defeat at the hands of India in several wars, Pakistan continues to pursue terrorism as a matter of state policy. Non-state actors in Pakistan are so strong that those in the political centrestage look no more than mere puppets in their hands," Singh said. -- PTI

Former head of Kashmir Chambers of Commerce Mubeen Shah, who was detained under the stringent Public Safety Act in the aftermath of the August 5 developments in Jammu and Kashmir, was released on Saturday after the Union Territory's administration "temporararily released" him for three months, officials said.

Shah, a non-resident Indian who is based out of Malaysia, was released this morning after an order issued by the Home Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir was handed over to jail authorities.

The order said that he had been temporarily released for a period of three months and should surrender on March 7, 2020.

Shah was among the host of politicians, social activists and businessmen detained on August 5, when the Centre withdrew special status to the erstwhile state and also bifurcated it into two union territories -- Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir. -- PTI

14:35 1 dead in police firing at Jh'khand poll booth

One person was killed and two others injured on Saturday, after security personnel opened fire on a group of men who tried to snatch their arms in Gumla's Sisai constituency, where polling is underway, police said.

Additional Director General of Police Murari Lal Meena said the man was killed when personnel of the Rapid Action Force fired on the assailants near booth number 36 in Sisai constituency.

The injured persons have been admitted to hospital, said Meena, who is also the nodal officer for assembly election-related security measures.

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said the incident is being probed and polling in the booth has been stopped.

A police officer also suffered injuries when angry villagers resorted to stone pelting after the incident, police sources said.

Sisai is among the 20 assembly constituencies to go to polls in the second of the five-phase elections in Jharkhand.

13:36 UP becoming country's rape capital: Congress

The Congress party on Saturday demanded strict action against the accused in the Unnao case, saying the Uttar Pradesh government has to wake up to realise that the state is becoming the rape capital of the country.

Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said responsibility in the Unnao case lies at the "doorstep" of the UP government where law and order has completely collapsed.

"We demand strict action in the matter. The UP government has to wake up to realise that the state is becoming the rape capital of the country," she said. -- PTI

13:35 Contribute towards welfare of armed forces: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged people to contribute in the Armed Forces Flag Day fund for the welfare of armed forces personnel.

"On Armed Forces Flag Day we salute the indomitable courage of our forces and their families. I also urge you to contribute towards the welfare of our forces," the prime minister said in his message.

Since 1949, Armed Forces Flag Day is observed on this day.

According to mygov.in website of the government, Flag Day brings to the forefront people's obligation of looking after disabled soldiers, widows and dependents of those killed in action. -- PTI

Robert Vadra, the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, on Saturday moved a Delhi court, seeking its permission to travel abroad for medical treatment and business purposes.

Vadra is facing probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, following allegations of money laundering related to purchase of a property in London at 12, Bryanston Square, worth 1.9 million pounds.

Senior advocate K T S Tulsi, appearing for Vadra, told Special Judge Arvind Kumar that his client wanted to travel to Spain for two weeks from Dec 9.

Special Judge Arvind Kumar directed the ED to file a reply by Dec 9, when the court will hear the matter, after the agency sought time to file its response.

In June, the court allowed Vadra to travel to the US and the Netherlands for six weeks on account of health reasons. It, however, did not allow him to go to the United Kingdom.

The ED had expressed apprehension that the accused may destroy evidence if allowed to go to the UK.

Vadra was directed on April 1 to not leave the country without prior permission by a court here which had granted him conditional anticipatory bail. -- PTI

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday expressed grief over the death of the Unnao rape victim at a hospital in Delhi.

"Sad. Cruelty has no limitations #Unnao," the chief minister said in a tweet.

The 23-year-old rape victim from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh was set ablaze by five people, including two who are accused of raping her, on Thursday morning.

She had suffered 90 per cent burns and was airlifted to Safdarjung Hospital where she lost the battle for her life late Friday night. -- PTI

Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav sat on a 'dharna' outside the Vidhan Bhavan in Lucknow on Saturday, after the death of the Unnao rape victim in Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.

Accompanied by senior party leaders, Yadav squatted before the main entrance of the Vidhan Sabha to protest the Unnao incident.

The Unnao rape victim was set on fire by five persons, including two rape accused, and suffered 90% burns on Thursday.

She was airlifted to Delhi hospital where she breathed her last on Friday night.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, on a visit to the Uttar Pradesh capital, Saturday rushed to Unnao to meet the family of the rape victim who succumbed to severe burns in Delhi's Safdarjung Hospital.

The Congress general secretary has left for Unnao to meet the family and extend condolences to them, Congress sources said.

The 23-year-old rape victim was set ablaze by five people, including two who are accused of raping her, on Thursday morning.

She had suffered 90 per cent burns and was airlifted to Safdarjung Hospital where she lost the battle for her life late Friday night.

There is deep sorrow and acute anger in the native village of the Unnao rape victim in Uttar Pradesh police station area since the time the locals received news of her death in a Delhi hospital.

Sitting on the doorstep of their house, the victim's father was categorical in saying that he demands justice on the lines the Hyderabad case.

"I want to see the accused persons being chased and shot dead," he said. "I do not want money or any other kind of help. I want to see that the accused are chased and shot dead like the Hyderabad encounter or hanged to death."

When asked if anyone had come forward to ensure them justice, he said neither any MLA nor official has tried to help them.

"The accused persons had used money power to deny justice to us. My case was not lodged and it was only after the court's directive that it was registered," he said.

The family members expressed deep sorrow that they could not save their daughter's life even though she wanted to live and see to it that the offenders get justice.

The family is also not aware about when and where the cremation has to take place.

SDM Bighapur, Daya Shankar Pathak, declined to reveal when the body would arrive in Unnao or when the cremation would take place.

The Unnao rape victim was set on fire early Thursday morning when she was on her way to Raebareli in connection with the court case filed by her.

Five accused persons, including two who had allegedly raped her, were arrested soon after.

She died on the day the four accused in the gang rape and murder case of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad were killed in an 'encounter' with the Telangana police, triggering a tsunami of reactions across the spectrum -- ranging from appreciation to condemnation. -- PTI

11:31 Air quality very poor in Delhi

The air quality in the national capital was in the "very poor" category Saturday morning.

The overall air quality in the city was 370 at 9.45 am; it was 'severe' with an AQI of 404 at 4 pm Friday. An AQI between 0-50 is considered 'good', 51-100 'satisfactory', 101-200 'moderate', 201-300 'poor', 301-400 'very poor' and 401-500 'severe'.

An AQI above 500 falls in the 'severe plus' category. -- PTI

10:56 Unnao case will be fast-tracked: Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday termed the death of Unnao gangrape victim "extremely sad" and conveyed his condolences to the aggrieved family.

"All the accused persons have been arrested. The case will be taken to a fast-track court, and punishment will be given," he said in a statement.

The rape victim, airlifted to the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi after she was set ablaze allegedly by five persons, died on Friday night.

-- PTI

The post-mortem of the Unnao rape victim, who died on Friday night, will be conducted shortly and Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Police will not be part of the forensic procedure, said Dr Sunil Gupta, Medical Superintendent, Safdarjung Hospital.

"Post mortem will take place at 10 am today under the leadership of Dr MK Wahi, Head of Department of Forensic unit," said Dr Sunil Gupta. "Uttar Pradesh Police and Delhi Police are completing their paperwork, they will not be part of the forensic procedure," Dr Gupta added.

After battling for life at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital, the Unnao rape victim who was set ablaze while on her way to a court hearing on Thursday morning died at 11:40 pm on Friday.

Dr Shalab Kumar, HOD of Burns and Plastic Department at the hospital, said: "It is very sad that the Unnao rape victim could not survive despite our best efforts. She suffered cardiac arrest at 11:10 pm and we tried to resuscitate her, but she could not survive."

On Thursday, the 23-year-old was airlifted from Lucknow's SMC government hospital to Safdarjung Hospital.

According to the police, five miscreants allegedly threw kerosene on the woman and set her ablaze when she was on her way to a local court for the hearing of a rape case she had filed.

Notably, the woman had filed a rape case in March this year, which is under trial at a local court in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

-- ANI

10:14 Unnao rape victim's brother demands justice

The brother of the Unnao rape victim on Saturday demanded justice for his sister, saying that the accused will have to go to the place "where she has gone".

"She asked me that brother please save me. I am very sad that I could not save her," he told reporters.

The rape victim from Unnao, airlifted to Delhi and admitted to the Safdarjung Hospital after she was set on fire allegedly by five persons, died on Friday night.

A 23-year-old woman, who was set on fire by men accused of raping her in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, died at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital on Friday night. The woman, who had suffered 90 per cent burns after she was set on fire on Thursday, died of a cardiac arrest at 11:40 pm, where she had been air-lifted from Lucknow's SMC government hospital on Thursday evening. The post-mortem will be conducted after 9 am and the body will be taken home thereafter.

The police said that the five men had allegedly thrown kerosene on the woman and set her ablaze when she was on her way to a local court for the hearing of a rape case she had filed.

The woman, in her burnt state, was conscious all the way to the hospital, where she gave a statement to the police identifying all five attackers.

She told the police that she was thrashed and stabbed before being set on fire near her village by five men, including two she had accused of raping her and their fathers.

A minor boy has been arrested for sexually assaulting a three-year-old girl in Makhi village in Unnao district, police said on Saturday.

The juvenile found the girl while she was playing in a field closed to her house.

On seeing her, the accused allegedly tried to rape her. Meanwhile, the passersby heard the cry of the girl and ran towards the field. After seeing the crowd, the accused tried to escape, however, he was caught by the locals. After beating him up, the villagers handed over the accused to the police.

Superintendent of Police, Vikrant Veer, immediately registered a case against the accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and was taken to jail.

The legal action was taken after receiving the medical report of victim.

"We have arrested the accused from the spot of the incident. A case has been registered, investigation underway," he said.

The incident comes at a time when Uttar Pradesh government is being questioned over the issue of safety of women following several cases of rape and murder.

The Unnao rape victim, who was set ablaze while on her way to a court hearing on Thursday morning, died at 11:40 pm last night.

The 23-year-old was airlifted from Lucknow's SMC government hospital to Safdarjung Hospital.

According to the police, five miscreants allegedly threw kerosene on the woman and set her ablaze when she was on her way to a local court for the hearing of the rape case she had filed.

Notably, the woman had filed the case in March this year, which is under trial at a local court in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

-- ANI

09:04 Hyd vet's rapists suspects in 3 other states

The four men accused of raping and killing the 27-year-old veterinarian who were shot dead by the Telangana police early on Friday morning, were suspected of being involved in similar crimes across Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the police have said.

"We have done DNA profiling of the victim and of all the accused and have collected scientific data and evidence. Further, we are collecting data from Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh about the missing and burnt bodies of women. Once the data comes we will analyse it about their involvement. We suspect that the accused were involved in other such cases across these states," said Cyberabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar.

Cyberabad Police on Friday said that they had recovered the murdered veterinarian's mobile phone, power bank and watch from the crime scene.

The police's statement comes after the four accused - who were arrested for raping and burning the woman on November 27 in the Shamshabad area -- were shot dead by policemen earlier today.

After the Unnao rape victim succumbed to burn injuries on Friday, Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal said that the rapists should be hanged within a month.

"I appeal to the Uttar Pradesh government and the Central government that the rapists in this case should be hanged within a month," Maliwal said on Saturday. Maliwal is currently on a hunger strike protesting against rape incidents in the country.

After battling for life at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital, the Unnao rape victim who was set ablaze while on her way to a court hearing on Thursday morning, died at 11:40 pm last night.

Dr Shalab Kumar, HOD of Burns and Plastic department at the hospital said: "It is very sad that the Unnao rape victim could not survive despite our best efforts. She suffered cardiac arrest at 11:10 pm and we tried to resuscitate her, but she could not survive."

On Thursday, the 23-year-old was airlifted from Lucknow's SMC government hospital to Safdarjung Hospital.

According to the police, five miscreants allegedly threw kerosene on the woman and set her ablaze when she was on her way to a local court for the hearing of the rape case she had filed.

Notably, the woman had filed the case in March this year, which is under trial at a local court in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

On Thursday, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had taken cognisance of the incident and said that the treatment of the victim will be carried out on the government's expense and strict action will be taken against the accused.

-- ANI

The second phase of polling began Saturday morning on 20 constituencies in Jharkhand, which votes in five phases to elect 81 members of the legislative assembly.

The voting commenced at 7 am, amidst a tight security arrangement.

While the voting exercise in 18 seats will end at 3 pm, voters in Jamshedpur (East) and Jamshedpur (West) constituencies can vote till 5 pm, an Election Commission release said.

Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey said, "Several of the constituencies going for this phase of polling are Naxal-affected. So, armed police have been deployed as a part of security measures."

Out of a total of 6,066 polling stations, 949 have been declared 'critical' and 762 sensitive' in Naxal-affected areas, he said.

The CEO said that 101 polling stations have been relocated due to security reasons and free transport facility has been arranged for voters to reach these stations to exercise their franchise.

A total 1,016 polling stations are located in towns and cities while 5,050 are in rural areas.

Webcasting facilities has been made available at 1,662 polling stations, the CEO said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted urging voters to come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise.

Out of the total polling stations, there are 337 model polling stations and 94 polling stations will be overseen by women polling personnel, Choubey said.

A total 48,25,038 voters, including 23,93,437 female and 90 third gender voters, are eligible to vote to decide the fate of 260 candidates, including 29 women nominees and 73 independents, he said.

According to police sources, more than 42,000 security personnel, including central forces, have been deployed on the 20 seats spread across seven districts.

The assembly segments going for polls are: Baharagora, Ghatsila (ST), Potka (ST), Jugsalai (SC), Jamshedpur (East), Jamshedpur (West), Seraikela (ST), Chaibasa (ST), Majhgaon (ST), Jaganathpur (ST), Manoharpur (ST), Chakradharpur (ST), Kharsawan (ST), Tamar (ST), Torpa (ST), Khunti (ST), Mandar (ST), Sisai (ST), Simdega (ST) and Kolebira (ST).

BJP leader and Chief Minister Raghubar Das is facing challenge from his former cabinet colleague and independent candidate Saryu Roy from Jamshedpur (East) seat.

-- PTI

00:01 Uddhav meets PM for 1st time after becoming CM

Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray received Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Pune airport on Friday evening.

It was the two leaders' first meeting after Thackeray broke away from ally BJP and formed a Shiv Sena-led government in Maharashtra with the support of the Congress and NCP last month.

The prime minister will be attending the national conference of director generals and inspector generals of police which is being held in Pune.

After receiving the PM, Thackeray left for Mumbai, state government officials said.

Union home minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis also greeted Modi at the airport. -- PTI

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