Vol. XLI No. 23 June 04, 2017
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AIDWA Delegation Visits Jhewar Victims

A DELEGATION of the Delhi state committee of AIDWA, ​ ​comprising Asha Sharma (general secretary), Maimoona Mollah (president), and Sehba Farooqui, Anjana, Asha Yadav (vice presidents), visited Jhewar to meet the victims and family of the recent violent attack and gang rape. The incident ​ had​  occurred early morning on May 25 – a family, travel​ling by car was attacked ​ near NOIDA Expressway​, one of them​,​  Shakil was shot dead and the women  ​violated. The delegation found that the  ​police, administration and ​ media reports downplaying the horrendous incident are not true​ and such reports have only helped to derail the case. The women were indeed mauled​, ​ ​with ​ multiple sexual assaults, includ​ing oral sex.​ The women are in deep trauma ​ and need immediate medical support​​. They are pleading for justice. 

AIDWA delegation met the wife of Shakil who was killed by the attackers, his sister and sister-in-law, and also the wife of the driver – all these women were in the car and were attacked, their jewellery was snatched away, then they were tied with their 'dupattas' and assaulted. When Shakil pleaded with them to spare the women, even offering money, they shot him. The attackers were using abusive language. The most traumatic was the fact that the little (5+years old) son of Shakil was witness to the heinous crime. The police came only after the Shakil's nephew went to the police station and brought them over. The miscreants left the place as the police arrived, but the police approach was lackadaisical – they did nothing to nab the culprits. 

The delegation was also told that no one – from the Women's Commission in UP, senior police officers, senior administrative officials or political leaders – have so far visited the family and assured them. Is this an indication that the government is trying to hush up the case?

​The new UP government came with big fanfare promising to 'restore' law and order. Instead they have only created mayhem ​in the state, what with attacks on Dalits and Muslims. The Yogi government is indulging in instilling fear psychosis in the entire region. 

The delegation said that the National Commission of Women should take cognisance of this crime suo moto. So should the union home minister.

​AIDWA demands

Ø ​that ​ a  ​medical board be constituted so that ​ repeat medical examination  could be conducted to come out with truth  about the sexual assault on the women and the​ culprits be arrested forthwith;

Ø ​the trial must be expedited and justice delivered; monetary support​ be provided to the victims to meet their immediate health needs as well as recover the financial losses they have suffered;

Ø appropriate rehabilitation  ​should be given ​ for the wife and children of Shakil who was murdered.

Ø education of ​Shakil's children must be ​provided by the state government