Yogi cabinet approves formation of 218 fast track courts for speedy disposal of rape cases

Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Monday (December 9) approved the establishment of 218 fast track courts for speedy disposal of rape-related cases along with those registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Accordingly, there will be as many as 144 regular courts to hear only rape cases, while 74 courts will look at cases under the POSCO Act. The state government will spare Rs 75 lakh for the construction of each court.  

As many as 25,749 rape cases are pending in the different courts of the state, while there are 42,379 cases related to child crime are pending in the largest state. 

The UP government has taken the prompt action in the wake of the Unnao rape case that has created a furore across the country. 

The Unnao victim succumbed to her injuries at the Safdarjung hospital in Delhi, on Friday night. The case happened just after the Hyderabad incident where a young doctor was raped, murdered and set ablaze by four accused, who were later killed in an encounter.

Earlier on Sunday night, the Yogi Adityanath government, however, suspended seven policemen for alleged negligence of duty that led to the death of the victim.

The suspended cops included Ajay Kumar Tripathi, Station House Officer (SHO) of Unnao`s Bihar police station, along with six other police personnel, according to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Avanish Awasthi.

The action against the cops was taken hours after the last rites of the 23-year-old Unnao rape victim were performed at her native village Hindupur on Sunday amid tight security arrangements.

The cops were guilty of not having ensured the security of the rape victim even though the rape accused belonged to the same village.

The Unnao rape victim was set ablaze on December 6 by the rape accused while she was on her way to Rae Bareli for a court hearing. The rape accused had been released on bail on November 30.