In a shocking incident, a rape survivor in Uttar Pradesh’s Kaushambi was killed in broad-day-light by her accused and his brother. Speaking to The Statesman, Kaushambi Additional SP Samar Bahadur said that both her killers – Ashok and his brother Pawan Nishad – were released on bail just a few days before the murder.

The Additional SP said that both the accused are absconding and police is looking for them.

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According to him, the woman had registered a rape case against Pawan three years ago. At the time of the alleged rape incident, she was a minor and the case was registered under the stringent POCSO Act.

Pawan’s brother Ashok is accused in another murder case and was released on bail two days ago. The brothers though to confront the victim and her family to force them to take the case back.

However, she refused to withdraw the rape case, following which they chased her down and killed her mercilessly with an axe. She was returning from her farm when the accused attacked her.

“There was a dispute between two parties in the same community regarding an old rivalry and litigation… members of one party killed the girl with a sharp weapon. A police complaint was filed and the accused have been booked,” Kaushambi Superintendent of Police, Brijesh Srivastava, said in a video statement released on X.

थाना महेवाघाट के ढेरहा गांव मे एक ही बिरादरी के दो पक्षों के बीच में पुरानी रंजिश और मुकदमेबाजी को लेकर आपस में विवाद हुआ जिसमे एक पक्ष के लोगों द्वारा दूसरे पक्ष की 20 वर्षीय युवती की धारदार हथियार से हमला कर हत्या कर दी गई है। प्रकरण में पुलिस अधीक्षक कौशाम्बी द्वारा दी गई बाइट pic.twitter.com/ve8TBRw5jv

— KAUSHAMBI POLICE (@kaushambipolice) November 21, 2023

The incident has triggered a political row with the Uttar Pradesh Congress slamming the law and order situation in the state.

“In Kaushambi, two brutes publicly killed a girl by cutting her with an axe. One of these criminals had come out on bail just two days ago in a murder case. The other one was accused of raping the same deceased girl.

The criminals in UP are so fearless that they have no fear of any law. No respect.

Here the daughters are so unsafe that if they raise their voice about their stolen honour, they may even have to lose their lives,” the UP Congress wrote on X.

The incident comes just two months after UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s strong remark that ‘Yamraj’ would exact retribution against those who harmed or harassed women”.