On August 3rd, a day after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath met with a 12-year-old girl who had allegedly been raped by two men in Ayodhya, the district administration used a bulldozer to demolish the bakery owned by one of the accused, Moid Khan. 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) leader is the primary suspect in the minor gang rape case. The bakery, owned by one of the accused, was initially sealed by the food adulteration department. On 3rd august, demolition proceedings began. SDM Sohawal Ashok Kumar stated, "The bakery has been sealed after it was found to be operating illegally, and action to demolish it is underway." Several additional properties owned by the accused may also face demolition. 

Following the meeting with the victim, two police officers were suspended for their delay in the investigation. The suspended officers are Station House Officer (SHO) Ratan Sharma of Purakalandar police station and Akhilesh Gupta, in charge of the Bhadarsha outpost. 

Moid Khan, the bakery owner, and his employee, Raju Khan, were arrested on July 30 from the Purakalandar area in connection with the case. Police sources indicate that the rape occurred two months ago and was recorded. The incident only came to light after a recent medical examination revealed that the girl was pregnant. 

In a speech to the state assembly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath claimed that Moid Khan, one of the accused, is affiliated with the Samajwadi Party. He stated, "Moid Khan is from the Samajwadi Party and is part of the Ayodhya MP's team. He has been implicated in the rape of a 12-year-old, yet the Samajwadi Party has not taken action against him." 

In response to the ruling BJP's handling of the case, the Samajwadi Party has called for DNA testing of all the accused. In a post on X, the party stated, "The BJP government should conduct DNA tests on all those accused of serious crimes to ensure justice, rather than turning this into a political issue. If the DNA tests confirm the accusations, the guilty must face full legal consequences. Conversely, if the tests prove the accusations false, those responsible for wrongful actions should also be held accountable." 

The Samajwadi Party has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of attempting to defame their party rather than focusing on aiding the survivor. The party's post on X stated, "Instead of supporting the victim, the government is engaged in a conspiracy to tarnish the Samajwadi Party's reputation. The government should promptly provide the victim with financial assistance of Rs 20 lakh." 

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati supported the actions taken by the BJP government in the Ayodhya rape case. She commented, “The strict measures being implemented by the Uttar Pradesh government against the accused in the Ayodhya gang rape case are appropriate. However, the Samajwadi Party’s call for DNA testing of the accused raises questions. The Samajwadi Party should also clarify how many DNA tests were conducted on similar accused individuals during their own time in power.” 

Image Source: India TV