New Delhi: The family of a Noida woman and her 16-year-old daughter who were dragged out of the car and gangraped last week in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr, have threatended to end lives if culprits are not punished.
The cab driver whose family was attacked and subjected to hours of unspeakable horror, said, “We were looted, beaten up and we all know what they did to my daughter…I want my wife and daughter to punish them. If they are not punished within three months, then all three of us will commit suicide.”
“There were seven-eight men. They tied our hands and feet, beat us and kept beating us even when we begged for water…every time we made any movement,” said the 39-year-old. He saw the attackers drag his wife, daughter and sister-in-law to another part of the field. The gang left after nearly three hours. “We realized they had left when they didn’t come back to beat us. What they did to my wife and daughter…I can’t bring myself to repeat it,” he said, choking up. “My daughter has learnt karate but what could she do at gunpoint?”
The family has not returned to their home in Noida. “How can we face our neighbours and friends? We have lived in the locality for 18 years…everyone knows what happened. We went to a friend’s house but he has now asked us to leave. We have nowhere to go…”
The incident took place barely 100 meters from a police post but no one heard any shouts for help. “We dialed 100 for 15 minutes, but got either a busy tone or no response. Finally, I called my friend and he called the police,” said the man.
When the family was heading towards Bulandshahr to attend funeral, their car was waylaid by a gang of robbers around 1.30 am. The family stopped when their car was hit by an iron rod. The gang took over the car at gunpoint and drove it to a swamp. They robbed the family, beat up the three men in the car and took them to the fields, leaving the women in the car.
Four police officers have been suspended. Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav had set a 24-hour deadline for the arrest of all the attackers. Three men have been arrested but the rest are missing.
