Muzaffarnagar horror!
PrashantNews
After 30 long years, a trial court in Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh on Monday sentenced two cops of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) to life imprisonment in the infamous Rampur Tiraha rape case.
Milap Singh and Virender Pratap, who were in PAC of Uttar Pradesh when the firing and rape took place on the statehood activists who were going to New Delhi in 1994 were also imposed a fine of Rs.1,00,000 each. They were convicted by the trial Court of the Additional Sessions Judge, Muzaffarnagar (UP) under section 376 (2) (g), 392, 354 & 509 of IPC on Friday.
The Trial Court also ordered that the entire amount of fine shall be paid to the victim. In the petition it was stated that the Uttarakhand Sangharsh Samiti had organized a rally at Red Fort, Delhi on Oct 2, 1994 and the statehood activists were going in buses to participate in the rally. The U.P. Govt. had made the elaborate security arrangements by deploying police force at different places. When the activists reached Rampur Tiraha, Muzaffarnagar in the night of 1-2 Oct 1994, they were stopped by the police and taken into custody. A total of 345 activists were detained and among them 47 were women. Among the detained female activists, instances of rape and molestation had occurred.
A Writ Petition No. 32928 of 1994 was filed by Uttarakhand Sangharsh Samiti before the Allahabad High Court. In pursuance of order of Allahabad High court, CBI conducted preliminary inquiry. Based on the inquiry report submitted by CBI, the High Court directed CBI to register FIR. Accordingly, CBI registered case on the allegations that a bus carrying participants of the rally were stopped at Rampur Tiraha in Muzaffarnagar and wind glasses, head lights and window panes were smashed and the police personnel deployed hurled abuses at the activists. It was also alleged that the two PAC personnel had entered the bus and committed crimes including molestation and rape of victim.
After completion of investigation, CBI filed a chargesheet in 1996. During trial 15 witnesses were examined. The Trial court found the both accused guilty and sentenced them to life imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Dhirendra Pratap, a prominent statehood activist, has expressed his satisfaction on the verdict. Usha Negi, a top statehood activist, who was going to Delhi in one of the buses when the heinous crime occurred, demanded death sentence for the two duo.