BJP leader's teenage son among 4 caught for gang-raping girl, sexually assaulting her sister

Bhopal, July 16: A Madhya Pradesh BJP leader's son is among four accused of gang-raping a woman and sexually assaulting her minor sister in the Datia district of the state. 

Relatives of the survivors, and locals, surrounded the police station demanding action, after which two of the accused have been arrested. The area is the home turf of Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who represents the Datia Assembly constituency.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's Datia district unit head on Sunday said appropriate action will be taken if the gang-rape survivor in her police statement names the son of a local party functionary of being involved in the crime.

One of the victims tried to kill herself by hanging, police said. She was rushed to a hospital where she is under treatment. 

All the accused are residents of Unnao police station area.

The survivors and the accused are students, and the police is investigating the matter, Datia Superintendent of Police Pradeep Sharma said.

A case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, and also the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, has been registered against the accused, Mr Sharma said.

"The complainant said she and her elder sister were abducted by four persons. The accused took them to a house, where they raped her elder sister," Pradeep Sharma said.

A complaint was lodged by the woman's younger sister.

Following the incident, the victim and her younger sister returned home, where the victim tried to commit suicide, he said.

The woman was later admitted to a hospital in Jhansi in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Mr Sharma said. As per the First Information Report (FIR), the accused also sexually abused the complainant, he said.

A reward of ₹ 10,000 has been announced on the accused who are on the run, he said.

BJP's district president Surendra Budholia said the incident was unfortunate, and the police were yet to record the victim's statement.

If the victim takes the name of the BJP office-bearer's son in her statement to the police, then the party will serve a notice to him (local functionary). The party will then take further action, Mr Budholia said.