Rape accused deserves no leniency: Former MP CM Uma Bharti

Bhopal, Nov 28 (IANS) Reacting to the arrest of six-year-old girl's rape accused on Friday, veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti said the authorities should ensure that he should get "death punishment".

BJP leader Bharti expressed that justice for the victim will be delivered when the case is heard in a fast-track court and capital punishment is pronounced within next 40 days.

She said the person raping a minor girl deserves no leniency for life.

Justifying the 'short encounter' of accused Salman (23) during his arrest late Thursday night, the former Chief Minister said, "It would have been better if the police had done a full encounter. But the government now can complete the procedure within 40 days and provide death punishment to this rapist."

The accused identified as Salman had been evading arrest after he allegedly raped the minor girl in Gauharganj area in Raisen district on November 21, which had triggered massive public outrage since then in the district.

A group of Muslim youths from Naya Basti in Bhopal played a crucial role in the arrest of Salman on whom Raisen district administration has announced a reward of Rs 30,000 and more than 15 police teams from several adjoining districts were tracing him.

Youths identified as Abdul Rizwan and Asif identified accused Salman through CCTV footages shared on the social media and alerted Bhopal police around 11:15 p.m. in Gandhi Nagar area on Thursday night.

Subsequently, a team of Crime Branch of Bhopal police reached at the spot and took the accused Salman in its custody.

The youths say Salman told them he had no family support, his mother had died, and he lived alone in Karond.

This incident had triggered tension from Bhopal to Raisen district as the public outrage and violent protest in the area under Gauharganj police station in Raisen district, prompted the administration to issue prohibitory orders and heavy deployment of police.

Raisen Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Gupta said, "Accused Salman was arrested from the Gandhinagar area and was being taken to Raisen. Meanwhile, the police vehicle broke down in the Kiratnagar village area near Bhojpur. Salman attempted to escape by snatching the Sub-Inspector's gun and fired at the police. Salman was shot in the leg in the retaliatory fire. He was taken to Bhopal's Jai Prakash Hospital for first aid."

--IANS

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