Day after filing gang-rape case, victim's father dies in road accident in Uttar Pradesh

The father of a gang-rape victim was killed in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur district, about 90 kilometres from here, a day after he lodged an FIR against two youths, one of whom was the son of a police inspector.

According to police sources, one of the accused, identified as Golu Yadav, was arrested while efforts were on to nab the other one, identified as Deep Yadav, whose father was a policeman in the neighbouring Kannauj district.

Sources said that Golu and Deep had kidnapped the 13-year-old girl from her home and allegedly gang-raped her after taking her to a secluded place on Monday. A case was lodged against the accused persons on Tuesday.

According to the sources, the father of the victim accompanied the police, who had conducted raids at several places to nab the culprits. On Wednesday morning, he was knocked down by a speeding truck near the Anupur crossing in the district. He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead.

The family members alleged that he came under the wheels of the truck after being pushed by one of the policemen. ''We have been receiving threats since registration of the case,'' said the brother of the gang-rape victim.

He said that Deepu Yadav's brother had also threatened them with dire consequences if they dared to file a case. ''My father has been murdered,'' the brother alleged.

Irate villagers blocked traffic on the Kanpur-Sagar highway in protest against the incident and demanding the arrest of the culprits. The blockade was lifted after senior officials intervened and assured action in the matter.

Police said that the driver of the truck was arrested and was being quizzed.