Farmer activist assaulted and raped in running train, dies of Corona

New Delhi, May 20: An activist travelling to Delhi from West Bengal to participate in the ongoing farmer’s agitation at Tikri border on the outskirts of Delhi, the capital of India, was allegedly assaulted and rape in a running train last week. She was allegedly raped by her colleagues who also claimed to be active members of an outfit which is supposed to be participating in the peasant stir. The woman died at a local hospital four days later due to Covid-19 complications after being infected by the virus.

However, All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee, an apex body of peasants which has been spearheading the movement, denied having any links with the miscreants and asked the authorities to take appropriate action against the accused. The committee also dubbed the incident as a conspiracy to defame the protest that has put the Prime Minister Narendra Modi led government on the mat over three contentious farm bills.

The matter came into light when father of the victim lodged a complaint with the local police charging two of members of Kisan Social Army of allegedly raping her daughter during the course of their journey from West Bengal. The famer body in a statement said that the organisation to which the accused belong has nothing to do with the agitation and they have been asked to wind up their tents and other belongings.

Meanwhile, Haryana Police have constituted an SIT to nab the accused involved in the rape case of the woman at the Tikri farmers' protest site. Anup Singh, one of the accused in the alleged 'rape' case has claimed that the allegations against him are a 'conspiracy to defame farmers' agitation'. In a video message, Singh said that there was an incident of 'assault' on-board a train, but the allegations of 'rape at the Tikri border' are 'false'.

"Culprits should be punished. But rape accusations are wrong... I am still at the Tikri border site," Singh said while pleading his innocence

The activist was assaulted by some of these persons on the way to Delhi and after reaching the Tikri border, a week later, the victim developed high fever and was found COVID-19 positive. She was admitted to a private hospital in Bahadurgarh. But she passed away due to COVID-19.

The victim was again allegedly 'raped' inside a tent at the Tikri border, where the farmers are holding their protest. The 26-year-old woman was admitted to Shivam Hospital four days before her death.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha said that it “stands with the struggle for justice for our deceased woman colleague. SKM has already taken strict action against the accused in this case and we are committed to take this fight for justice to its logical conclusion.”

“When this came to the notice of the SKM, we decided to take the strictest possible action. Four days ago, the Tikri committee of SKM had already removed the tents and banners of the so called ‘Kisan Social Army’. The accused were also barred from participating in the movement and public appeal was issued for their social boycott,” the Morcha added

While taking cognizance of the incident, The All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee (AIKSCC)  set up Mahila Suraksha Committee to ensure safety of all women participating in the movement.

The National Working Group of AIKSCC reviewed the incidents at Tikri border relating to the sexual assault on a young activist and expressed their strong condemnation and expresses its deepest commitment to ensure safety of all women protesters participating in the movement with zero tolerance for sexual harassment.  

It expressed satisfaction that an FIR has been registered in the matter on the basis of the complaint filed by the grieving father of the victim from which it appears that she was forcefully confined, kidnapped, blackmailed, threatened and repressed, apart from being raped. AIKSCC demands that based on the FIR, all aspects should be enquired into by the concerned authority and those found guilty should be given the strictest punishment.

AlKSCC has set up a Mahila Suraksha Committee to look into all gender related crimes and to protect the rights of women in all its functioning and gatherings including the ongoing farmers’ movement and the incident at Tikri. The Committee shall further take steps to prevent any such incident in future and look into all complaints and enforce all steps to ensure safety, security and dignity of women participants at the dharna sites and all recommendations of the Committee shall be implemented immediately. The Committee shall work in close coordination and collaboration with any such forum formed by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha.

Members of the Mahila Suraksha Committee are: Medha Patkar – President, Pratibha Shinde, Brinda Karat, Amarjeet Kaur, Kavita Krishnan, Ritu Kaushik, Poonam Kaushik and Annie Raja.

“AIKSCC stands for all-out efforts being put in by Samyukt Kisan Morcha in fully investigating all the details pertaining to this case. Steps shall also be taken by AIKSCC to address all the health issues, including Covid health issues of the participants, particularly for women,” the statement said.

AIKSCC in a statement said, “Hundreds of thousands of women have been participating in our Delhi farmers' protests now on for the last six months. They have played a heroic role and shall continue to be the most important pillar in its success to achieve repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP of all crops. They have braved state repression, media defamation and patriarchal hurdles to assert their right to protest. For AIKSCC, full and prompt justice in the present instance, and setting up of systems that will prevent recurrences is of utmost importance”.

Further AIKSCC said it shall remain vigilant against all forces which may try to utilize this incident to bring dishonour to the ongoing farmers movement, the AIKSCC and the SKM.

AIKSCC deeply mourned the passing away of a committed, passionate and enthusiastic young woman supporter of the farmers' movement, after suffering great injustice and trauma and stood strongly with the family of the young girl.

It urged the government of Haryana to step up the pace of investigation and prosecution to provide justice to the victim and book all culprits who are found to be involved in the crime.