NCW team visits slain Lakhimpur victim's village

A team of National Commission for Women on Thursday met the family members of a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and killed inside the police station premises in Lakhimpur.

Later, the commission's chairperson Yasmeen Abrar told mediapersons that the victim's mother would not be lying and prima facie it seems that the girl was first raped and later killed.

The NCW team, including Abrar and legal advisor Mehmood Parcha, also inspected the spot inside the police station premises where the girl's body was found. Abrar assured the victim's mother Tarannum that if required, the commission would move the court to ensure justice to the girl's family, sources said.

She rejected Uttar Pradesh government's allegation that national commissions were working as the puppet of the Centre and said "NCW is an autonomous body and is not working on anyone's remote control; not even of the Centre."

"Wherever atrocities are committed against women, NCW will intervene. We are doing nothing wrong," she said. Abrar said the commission wants that governments should work properly and control atrocities against women.

She said the security of an eyewitness and the victim's family was the responsibility of the state government. During inspection of the spot, the NCW team got a blood-stained cotton piece sealed and Abrar said that would be sent to the laboratory for testing.

The visit by the NCW team came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the family members of the girl.