JOIN USIn Ghaziabad, a 10-year-old dalit girl was gang-raped and burnt alive in Anwarpur village, police said. The incident came a week after a 35-year-old woman was allegedly gang-raped and burnt alive by three persons in Etah.
The minor girl, whose parents had gone out for work, was overpowered by some men who entered her house last evening, they said, adding that they raped her and set her afire when she called out for help.
The victim was rushed to a local hospital. She was later referred to GTB Hospital in Delhi where she succumbed to injuries.
Senior police officials reached the village, falling under Pilakhuwa police station area.
One person was arrested last night in connection with the case and the girl's body was sent for post-mortem, police said.
While security in the village has been tightened, SDM Hapur Pushpa Devrar has started a probe into the incident on the directions of District Magistrate Hredesh Kumar.
In Barabanki, a 11-year-old Dalit girl was allegedly raped by a youth in Dewa area, police said today.
The victim was dragged by a youth to a secluded place and raped while she was returning home in Ibrahimpur Khurd village last night, they said.
The accused Shiv Kumar has been arrested, police said.
In Hathras, parents of a teenager lodged a complaint with police that the girl was raped by her uncle Kishori on June 24. The police have arrested the accused.
The rape incidents came as Chief Minister Mayawati prepared to chair a high-level meeting of officials tomorrow to chalk out strategy to deal with crime after a spate of rape and murder incidents this month prompted the Centre to seek a report from Uttar Pradesh Government on the prevailing law and order situation in the state.
Pilloried by Opposition which has been demanding dismissal of her government, Mayawati had announced that the CrPC will be amended to complete trials in six months in rape cases, make the offences non-bailable and provide stringent punishment to the guilty.
Mayawati had called a high-level meet of state officials on June 27. "I myself will chair the meeting... directives will be issued to launch a month-long campaign at all police stations," she had said.
The Chief Minister today alleged a conspiracy by the opposition parties to defame the government.
"By giving political colour to even the smallest of the matters, the opposition is attempting to destabilise my government," Mayawati said at a rally in Mumbai suburban Goregaon.
"Even some of the people in the media, with a casteist mentality, were publishing a distorted picture," she alleged. "But let me make it clear, that I am not going to get cowed down by such things.
"This is because, unlike leaders of other parties, I have not come into politics through a legacy but through working in party and working at village level," she said.
"At no cost will I kneel down before the opposition," Mayawati said.
Taking suo motu cognisance of "alarming" rise in rape cases in Uttar Pradesh, the State Human Rights Commission had issued notices to the government and police asking them to submit a detailed report about the incidents and steps taken to curb rampant rise of the "beastly offence".