A 40-year-old Dalit woman was gang-raped by two men who held her at gunpoint while her four-year-old son watched in terror, in Uttar Pradesh’s Mainpuri. The brutal assault occurred on April 17 but only came to light when the victim mustered courage to approach police this week.
The survivor, in her police complaint, stated she was returning from getting her son’s haircut when accused Ramji Yadav and an unidentified accomplice intercepted her near a bridge. “They pretended to offer financial help, saying they’d give me ₹20,000 loan to support my family,” the woman recounted with trembling voice.
After luring her onto their motorcycle, the duo took the mother-son pair to an isolated farmland. “They took turns raping me while pointing a country-made pistol at my child’s head,” the victim told investigators, adding that the assailants threatened to “blow his brains out” if she screamed for help.
Caste Dimensions of the Crime
The accused, both from dominant castes according to police, allegedly hurled casteist abuses during the assault. “You Dalit women are meant for this,” one of them reportedly sneered.
Police Under Fire for Delayed Action
Despite the gravity of the offense, authorities registered the FIR only four days later. “We’ve invoked sections 376D (gang rape) of IPC, SC/ST Act, and POCSO since the child witnessed the crime,” said Manipuri SP Rajesh Kumar. Shockingly, both accused remain at large at the time of reporting.
Political Storm Erupts
The incident has triggered outrage across party lines. BSP chief Mayawati demanded the resignation of UP’s Home Minister, stating, “Dalit women aren’t safe in Yogi’s ‘Ram Rajya’.” Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra questioned, “How many more daughters must suffer before this government wakes up?”
Victim’s Family Lives in Fear
The survivor’s husband, a migrant laborer, broke down while speaking to media: “We’re poor but we fought for justice. Now these criminals are threatening to burn our hut if we don’t withdraw the case.” Local activists have moved the family to a safe house as tensions escalate in the village.
This marks the fourth reported rape of Dalit women in UP within 15 days, painting a grim picture of the state’s security apparatus.
