Ahmednagar gang-rape rocks Maharashtra House session

Despite assurances from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis that the Ahmednagar gang-rape incident will be tried in a fast-track court, the Opposition uproar in Maharashtra Assembly on the inaugural day of the monsoon session led to adjournment.

Fadnavis, who made a detailed statement on the rape and killing of the 14-year-old, said Ujjwal Nikam has been appointed the special public prosecutor.

He also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and a further Rs 3 lakh under the Manodhairya scheme.

“Investigations are underway,” the chief minister said, adding three accused have been arrested and the DNA samples of the victim and the accused have been sent for forensic examination.

In the lower House, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and Leader of Opposition Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil from Congress and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar from  the NCP wanted a discussion on the issue through an adjournment notice.

“I request the chief minister to consider the victim as our own daughter and punish the guilty,” Pawar said. “This case is more like the Nirbhaya case. The manner of the school girl’s rape and the way her body parts were butchered makes us shudder. Leave the politics aside and get her justice.”

Following the gang-rape and killing on July 13, police arrested the three accused, identified as Jitendra Shinde, Santosh Bhaval and Nitin Dhailume. In the Council, leader of the Opposition Dhananjay Munde accused the government of covering up the crime.