Witness’ body exhumed, wife attempts suicide

Lucknow: The Unnao police exhumed the body of Yunus Khan, a witness in the murder of Unnao rape victim’s father, on Saturday night despite stiff resistance from the deceased’s family.

Yunus Khan’s wife Shabina and 13 other family members reached Lucknow where she attempted to immolate herself outside the chief minister’s residence in protest against exhumation of his body. The policemen stationed there foiled her suicide bid.

SP Unnao, Harish Kumar said the entire process was carried out in his presence and recorded.

“Shahr Qazi, Unnao, Maulana Nasir accompanied us. We are acting in accordance with law. We have given assurance that the body will again be buried with full honor and respect”, he said.

The exhumed body has been sent for post mortem after the rape victim’s uncle alleged that the witness had been poisoned to death.

“Exhuming the body has hurt our religious sentiments. We have repeatedly told the police that Yunus Khan died a natural death on August 18 and had been ailing for quite some time. The entire village attended his funeral and there was nothing to hide”, Shabina told reporters in Lucknow. Shabina further blamed the rape victim’s uncle for twisting facts to build his case against the accused. She has also given in writing to the authorities that the victim’s uncle tried to lure her with a promise of `8 lakh in bribe so that she does as he says.

Shabina said she and her husband were not aware that he was a witness in case related to the murder of the rape victim’s father.

She said that the CBI which is investigating the case had never approached or informed them about the case.

It may be recalled that in April this year, a minor girl had attempted immolation outside the chief minister’s residence. She alleged that BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar had raped her a year ago and the police had not taken action on her complaint.

Three days later, the rape victim’s father died in police custody and a video showing the MLA’s brother of beating up the father in police station went viral on the social media.

As the case grabbed headlines, chief minister Yogi Adityanath recommended a CBI probe into the case and the BJP MLA was arrested.

His brother Atul Sengar was arrested for the murder of the victim’s father.