New Delhi: NCW demands CBI probe into Bhatta-Parsaul

PTI

New Delhi, 22 May 2011: National Commission for Women (NCW) acting Chairperson Yasmeen Abrar on Saturday alleged that crime against woman in Uttar Pradesh is very high and demanded an enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the violence and alleged police atrocities in Bhatta and Parsaul villages of Greater Noida.

 

Yasmeen repeated that atrocities were committed by the state government in the twin villages, just a day after a NCW report claimed that many women in the two villages were stripped naked and molested by policemen following the violent agitation by farmers on May 7.

 

Backing Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi’s claims of many people being killed and their bodies burnt in Bhatta and Parsaul, Yasmeen said, "NCW is worried that the crime against women in highest in Uttar Pradesh. There has been a case in Farrukhabad of rape and murder. We request a CBI enquiry into Bhatta-Parsaul so that evidence is not destroyed and to bring out the truth. We request for security and food to women of the villages. Women police personnel should be there to look after the women."

 

 

"A lady alleged that her child was burnt alive. They said bones can be found in the ashes. Why hasn’t Mayawati visited the villages till now? Women said they were molested, their clothes were torn off. We are fearful of the police. We have evidence and images. We are giving the report to the Prime Minister. We are setting up a 11-member team of lawyers, retired judges, social activists who will visit the spot," said the NCW acting Chairperson.

 

CNN-IBN had on Friday accessed details of the NCW Report on Bhatta and Parsaul villages.

 

The report alleged that policemen tore clothes of women, paraded them naked and threatened villagers. The NCW Report, based on its visit to the affected areas on May 12, said that about 10-12 policemen tore clothes of women, paraded them naked and teased them.

 

The report also said the policemen went around the village at night and threatened the villagers not to speak out. The policemen also barged into villagers’ houses, dragged women out and misbehaved with them, claimed the report.

 

The NCW Report also said that women of the villages confessed to seeing bodies being burnt. The report has also questioned why no FIR has been lodged against the local administration.

 

Rahul had on May 16 met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with a group of villagers from Bhatta and Parsaul. He complained to Singh about the alleged "repression" and "murder" of farmers in the Mayawati-ruled state.

 

Emerging from a half-an-hour meeting, Rahul alleged huge heaps of ash carrying burnt bodies have been found in the villages where farmers were agitating for better compensation for their land acquired by Mayawati government.

 

He also showed the Prime Minister pictures purportedly of bodies burnt and other forms of violence against farmers and their family members.

 

"The issue here is a more fundamental one with regard to these villages in particular and a large number of villages in UP all down the Agra highway, where state repression is being used, where people are being murdered. Quite severe atrocities taking place there. There is a set of large 74 heaps of ash there with dead bodies inside. Everybody in the village knows it. We can give you pictures. Women have been raped, people have been thrashed. Houses have been destroyed," he alleged.

 

However, the Mayawati government hit out at Rahul, claiming that all allegations levelled by him were false. The Uttar Pradesh government released a forensic report which stated that there were no human remains in the ashes found in the twin villages.