New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Alleging political patronage for criminals, the Congress on Sunday condemned the brutal rape and murder of a nine-year-old girl in Muzaffarpur in NDA-ruled Bihar.

The party alleged in the Muzaffarpur incident, the rapist was a serial offender allowed to roam free by the administration.

“Rapists and criminals were feeling emboldened as the JD-U-BJP government had let powerful and influential people go scot-free despite serious charges,” said party spokesperson Shama Mohamed.

Addressing a press conference at the AICC office here with MP Ranjeet Ranjan, Shama Mohamed revealed that after the brutal rape and heinous assault on the nine-year-old victim on May 26, she was left to die near a brick kiln.

Ranjan disclosed that the victim was initially admitted to a local hospital in Muzaffarpur. After her condition deteriorated, she was referred to AIIMS, Patna, where the doctors refused to admit her, citing summer vacation and the unavailability of specialists required for multi-specialty treatment.

The relatives of the girl then took her to Patna Medical College and Hospital where again she was refused admission for about five hours, she said.

It was only after Bihar state Congress president Rajesh Kumar reached there that she was finally admitted. However, by that time, it was too late and she eventually lost the battle for her life, she said.

Ranjan noted that had the victim been provided proper treatment at the right time, her life could have been saved. She held the JDU-BJP government in Bihar responsible for her rape and subsequent criminal medical negligence that led to her death.

Shama Mohamed remarked that just because the victim belonged to the Dalit community and not an upper caste, she was refused treatment at an institution like AIIMS.

She pointed out, even after she was taken to Patna Medical College and Hospital, the victim was again denied admission and was left waiting in an ambulance for about five hours until the state Congress president intervened.

Mohamed disclosed that this was one in a series of atrocities and heinous crimes against women taking place in Bihar. She also referred to several similar incidents in the past.

–IANS

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