India gang rape victim family threatens suicide if guilty not punished

Source:Xinhua Published: 2016/8/2 16:19:15

The victim family of Uttar Pradesh rape incident in India Tuesday threatened to commit suicide if their attackers were not punished within three months.

A male member of the family told media he wants his daughter and wife to punish culprits.

"We were looted, beaten up and we all know what they did to my daughter," the man said in his media briefing. "If they (accused) are not punished within three months, then all three of us will commit suicide."

The man appeared before media covering his face to speak about the horrific incident that his family suffered on Friday night.

His wife and her 14-year-old daughter were gang raped by a group of men in Bulandshahr district of Uttar Pradesh, about 83 km east of New Delhi, India's national capital city.

The robbers stopped their vehicle and forcibly took them to an isolated place near Dostpur village. Reports said the robbers tied male members with ropes and subjected the two females to gang rape.

The family was also robbed of money, jewellery and their mobile phones, besides being left stranded on the deserted stretch until Saturday morning. The incident has caused panic and outrage across India, and puts a question mark on safety of women and efficiency of police force in the country.

The man alleged his efforts to contact police through telephone could not materialize.

"We dialled 100 (emergency telephone number) for 15 minutes, but got either a busy tone or no response. Finally, I called my friend and he called the police," the man said.

The local government in Uttar Pradesh has suspended seven policemen including a top officer of the district for dereliction of duty.

Last month a 25-year-old Israeli tourist was gang rapped in Manali, a popular tourist town in Himachal Pradesh.

In Dec. 2002 a fatal gang-rape of a medical student in New Delhi brought spotlight on crimes against women in India.

The incident saw huge protests and resulted in new anti-rape laws in the country. However, brutal sexual attacks against women continue to be reported across India.


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