Amid the COVID-19 lockdown, a 23-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli was allegedly raped by a ration dealer who promised to give her free ration as per government orders.
The woman’s husband, a manual labourer, had gone to Punjab to collect his wages. However, after the lockdown was implemented, he got stranded there. Left without any option she approached the local shopkeeper for ration. However, after waiting for several hours, the woman was sent away by the dealer, without giving her ration.
On Tuesday evening, the accused, identified as Vinod, went to her house and raped her, the victim alleged.
“On the basis of a complaint filed by the victim, police have booked Vinod under section 376 of IPC for the rape. He has been arrested and sent to jail,” Superintendent of police (SP) of Shamli, Vineet Jaiswal, was quoted byThe New Indian Express.
“For the last three weeks, we were giving her the food as her husband was away and she had no money left. But, a few days ago, we expressed helplessness due our own condition,” the victim’s landlord said.