Saryu Express Incident: Allahabad High Court Orders Jurisdictional Magistrate To Visit Hospital And Record Statement Of Injured Woman Cop

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Magistrate having jurisdiction to visit the Trauma Centre at Lucknow for recording the statement of the lady cop who was assaulted onboard the Saryu Express on the intervening night of 30-31 August. The cop was apparently on-duty at the time.

"At this stage, we have no doubt that the investigation is proceeding in the right track and would bring results fast. However, we find that the statement of the victim/ prosecutrix 'x' under Section 161 Cr.P.C. or 164 Cr.P.C. has not been recorded so far. In our opinion, it is a vital piece of evidence which will throw some light and carve out the path on which the investigation can proceed hence forth," bench of Chief Justice Pritinker Diwaker and Justice Ashutosh Srivastava said.

The woman cop was found in a deplorable state, in a pool of blood, unable to move herself with a deep cut on her face and injuries. The incident was reported by certain passengers, who boarded Saryu Express from Ayodhya Junction at about 4:00 am. She is under medical treatment at Trauma Centre of King George Medical University, Lucknow and is responding by gestures, since she is unable to talk. The High Court had taken suo moto cognizance of the incident last Sunday.

Superintendent of Police, GRP (Railway) and the Deputy Superintendent of Police, GRP Lucknow apprised the Court as to the progress of investigation and submitted that five teams comprising police personnel of the rank of Circle Officer and Deputy Superintendent of Police have been set up and are carrying on the investigations. Court was also informed that as per current examination reports the prosecutrix had not been subjected to any sexual assault. Injuries to the face and upper body parts of the prosecutrix by sharp edged weapon presumably a chopper have been reported.

Superintendent of Police, GRP (Railway) informed the Court that intensive combing operations have been undertaken along approximately 10 KMs of the railway track near Ayodhya Railway Station to trace the weapon. Further, statements of escort guards of the train in question and vendors at the Railway Station have been recorded under Section 161 Cr.P.C. CCTV footage of the Railway Stations along the train route and forensic evidence collected from the train coach are also being processed, the Court was informed.

“At this stage, we have no doubt that the investigation is proceeding in the right track and would bring results fast,” Court then remarked and posted the matter on 13th September.

Meanwhile, Court has directed a five-member team comprising three Senior Gynaecologists, one Surgeon and one Medicine of King George Medical University, Lucknow by the Dean of the University to examine the prosecutrix and submit their report.