Protest against UP ministers, MP at Unnao rape 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 and met 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, 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 to drive away the protesters after which the two ministers and the MP were 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.

"The state government is standing with the aggrieved family. Criminals have been arrested....

"Today we have come to offer condolences to the aggrieved family members. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath did his best to save the life of this daughter, and she was airlifted to Delhi, and admitted to Safdarjung Hospital. Controlling death is not in our hands (maut humlogo ke bas ki nahin hai)," Swami Prasad Maurya said.

He also reiterated that the guilty persons will not be spared.

"A criminal is a criminal. If anyone tries to save the guilty persons, he too will be dealt strictly by the law," said Maurya, who is the UP labour minister.

WATCH: BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj visits Unnao rape victim's family amid protest

Cabinet minister for technical education Kamala Rani Varun also accompanied Maurya.

Sakshi Maharaj, when confronted by reporters and angry people, said, "Stringent action will be initiated against the guilty persons. No one will be spared. An effort was made to tarnish the name of Unnao, and we will not allow this to happen."

Meanwhile, in Lucknow, police lathicharged Congress workers who staged a protest against the government in Hazratganj outside the headquarters of UP BJP.

UP Congress president Ajay Kumar Lallu was allegedly dragged on the road by the policemen, while other protesters resisted.

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 said.

"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.