Unnao rape survivor, lawyer critically injured in road accident, 2 family members killed

BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year.

Unnao Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Verma said the rape survivor, her paternal and maternal aunts along with their advocate met with an accident while on their way to meet her uncle, who is lodged in Rae Bareli jail.

The rape survivor's maternal aunt succumbed to injuries in a district hospital and the others were transferred to a trauma centre in Lucknow, police said.

ADG Lucknow Rajeev Krishna said, "Two women were killed in the accident. The rape survivor and the lawyer are in a critical condition and undergoing treatment at the trauma centre in Lucknow."

"The rape survivor's family had been provided security, but the gunner had not accompanied them on Sunday. The reason behind it is being probed," he said, adding, "The truck involved in the accident has been impounded. It has a Fatehpur district registration plate."

Verma said on the directives of senior officials, he along with the mother of the rape survivor, three sisters and brother were rushing to Lucknow.

The SP also said, "It has come to light that the gunner who usually accompanies the family (of the rape survivor) did not go with them. Why the gunner did not accompany them is being probed, and based on its outcome, action will be initiated accordingly."

Meanwhile, UP Congress leader Aradhana Mishra, who went to visit the injured on the directions of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told PTI, "The rape survivor is in a very critical condition and the advocate is on ventilator. According to doctors, one person had died on the spot, while another was declared dead upon their arrival at the trauma centre."

Quoting eyewitnesses, Rae Bareli Superintendent of Police Sunil Kumar Singh said that an over-speeding truck hit the car carrying the rape survivor.

"There were showers and the truck driver lost control over the vehicle which rammed into the car," he said.

The truck driver fled from the spot after the accident.

A woman belonging to Makhi police station area in Unnao had alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her teenage daughter at his residence in 2017.

The case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence. 

Hours after Unnao rape survivor was critically injured in an accident, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav alleged that it could be a conspiracy to kill her and demanded a CBI probe into the Sunday incident.

On directives of Yadav, three SP MLCs went to trauma centre and enquired about the condition of the rape survivor and her family, SP chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary said.

"The accident involving the Unnao rape victim in Rae Bareli is a serious incident, and there could be possibility of murder behind this incident," Yadav said in a statement issued here.

"This incident has links with a BJP MLA and there is BJP government in the state. There is 'jungle raaj' in the state. The criminals are roaming fearlessly. Only a CBI probe will solve this mystery," he added.

Earlier in the day, a car in which the rape survivor, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by an over-speeding truck in Rae Bareli, killing two members while leaving her and the advocate critically injured, police said.

The Samajwadi Party said that it will bear the cost of treatment of those injured in the accident.