In a long-awaited verdict, a special Pocso court in Bulandshahr on Saturday convicted five men for the horrific gang rape of a woman and her young daughter on a Uttar Pradesh highway nine years ago. The 2016 crime had sent shockwaves across the nation, leading to a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe and the suspension of several senior police officers for negligence.
The Horrific Night on National Highway-91
The incident dates back to July 29, 2016. A family, travelling from Noida to Shahjahanpur, was intercepted near a village on National Highway-91. A gang of robbers held the entire family hostage at gunpoint. The male members were tied up and assaulted as they begged for mercy. The woman and her daughter were then dragged to a nearby field and brutally gang-raped.
Despite the crime scene's proximity to a local police station, the initial response was severely lacking. The family's emergency calls went unanswered. The investigation gained momentum only after the father contacted a personal acquaintance within the Noida police department. An FIR was eventually registered on July 30, 2016, under sections for gangrape, dacoity, criminal conspiracy, and the Pocso Act.
The Long Road to Justice and Convictions
Additional District Government Counsel (ADGC) Varun Kaushik detailed the legal battle. The court convicted Zuber alias Parvez (35), Mohd Sajid (37), Dharamveer Singh (36), Sunil Kumar (35), and Naresh Kumar (46). The gang's alleged kingpin, Saleem Bawaria (45), died during the trial in December 2019.
"All the convicts were unable to secure bail and remained in jail since the incident. Their bail was even rejected by the Supreme Court," Kaushik stated. He emphasized that forensic evidence, including semen traces matching the convicts, was crucial in securing the conviction. The sentencing by Additional District and Sessions Judge-III, Omprakash Verma, is scheduled for Monday.
National Outrage and Systemic Repercussions
The brutality of the crime forced the then-state government to act. It led to tweaks in road safety rules and even the controversial posting of 'snipers' on trees to secure the vulnerable highway stretch. The Allahabad High Court ordered a CBI probe, which resulted in the suspension of high-ranking officers.
Of the 11 individuals originally implicated, the outcomes varied: two died in police encounters, one died in custody, and three were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The trial saw testimonies from 25 witnesses. The apex court also reprimanded then-UP cabinet minister Azam Khan for dismissing the incident as a "political conspiracy," leading to his apology in court.
This case, extensively covered by media, starkly exposed the vulnerability of travelers on poorly lit, desolate stretches of Uttar Pradesh's highways. Saturday's conviction finally brings a measure of closure to a legal process that has stretched for nearly a decade.
