DCW chief's fast enters Day 3, two more minors raped

New Delhi: An indefinite hunger strike by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal demanding death penalty for rapists entered the third day here on Sunday even as two more minors were raped across the country.

Maliwal launched the protest at Rajghat on Friday in the wake of the horrific rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua districts.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, she said: "I will not break my anshan (fast) until the Prime Minister does not (promise) the country a better system for the safety of our daughters."

As Maliwal continued her fast in Delhi, authorities in Patna said a minor girl was gang-raped on Sunday. The incident took place at 12.30 a.m. near a railway line in the heart of Bihar's capital.

"Both the accused (Chotu Kumar and Phekan Kumar) were caught by a police patrol that heard the girl's cries for help. The girl also identified both of them," police officer Rama Shankar Singh said.

In Odisha, police said a four-year-old girl was raped by a youth in Balasore district. The accused, 24-year-old Nityacharan Jena, is a neighbour.

On Friday, when the girl was playing outside, Jena lured her to his house with chocolates and raped her, according to police. The girl has been hospitalised. Her family lodged a police complaint on Saturday.

Meanwhile in Srinagar, National Conference President Farooq Abdullah demanded a special Jammu and Kashmir Assembly session to pass a bill to hand out capital punishment to those convicted of raping minors.

"It is only by awarding capital punishment to perpetrators of such heinous crime that incidents like Kathua rape and murder can be prevented in future," the former Chief Minister said.

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has already said that Jammu and Kashmir will soon pass a bill for death sentence to those who rape minors.