Activist from Bengal raped on way to join farmers’ protest at Tikri; later dies due to Covid

​​​KOLKATA: An activist, who had travelled from West Bengal to join the farmers’ protest at Tikri border, was allegedly raped on the way to Delhi. She died on April 30 after contracting Covid-19.

The 26-year-old woman was admitted to Shivam Hospital four days before her death due to Covid-related complications.

The woman’s father has lodged a complaint with police in Bahadurgarh and an FIR has been registered against four men. The FIR has named Anoop and Anil Malik who run the ‘Kisan Social Army’.

The deceased woman activist had travelled with the accused men from Bengal to Delhi, where she joined the farmers’ protest at the Tikri border on April 11.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha has said in a statement the woman was assaulted by the accused on the way to Delhi and after reaching the Tikri border. A week later, she developed a high fever and was found Covid-19 positive. Later she succumbed to the infection on April 30 at the private hospital.

The FIR was lodged based on a complaint by her father. Meanwhile, the Haryana Police on Sunday formed a special investigation team led by a DSP to investigate the case after the woman's father alleged that she was raped when she had gone to the border point.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha said in its statement 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 statement stated.