Lakhimpur Kheri incident: After 11-hr marathon surgery, girl’s hand re-attached

Dr AK Singh, Head of Department of Plastic Surgery at KGMU, said, “She reached us about 7-8 hours after the incident. While her left hand was totally severed from the body, right hand also had serious injuries, apart from her forehead and scalp. We had to join bones, nerves as well as tendons. This became difficult as she had already suffered blood loss.”

“Her condition is stable but she is still serious due to excessive blood loss. While she has been shifted to Intensive Care Unit, we would need to monitor her at least for a week to know the actual success of the surgery,” said Dr AK Singh.

Meanwhile, on the basis of complaint registered by maternal uncle of the victim, police have lodged FIR against the accused, Rohit Chaurasia under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder), 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons) and 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) as well as section 7-8 of Protection of Children against Sexual offences (POCSO) Act.

In the incident at Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, the accused attacked the victim after an alleged dispute over a mobile phone charger. Both of them knew each other.

“We have registered the FIR on the complaint given by girl’s uncle, who alleged sexual assault. The accused has been sent to jail. While we have come to know that the victim and accused knew each other, we would be able to say anything further after we are able to speak to the victim once she is better,” said S Channappa, Superintendent of Police, Lakhimpur Kheri.

Later in the day, UP Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Congress MLA and Legislature Party leader, Ajay Kumar too met the family members and assured all the help.

“The family is very poor and father earns his living as a labourer. Victim’s mother as well as younger sister are blind. Moreover, it is not the first time that there was sexual assault on the girl, she had earlier also complained of eve teasing but police did not register their complaint,” said Ajay Kumar. He said that the incident has also raised a question mark on the claims about success of “anti-romeo squad” of the state government.