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BHOPAL: In a heart-wrenching incident in Vidisha district, a 35-year-old gang-rape survivor whose husband was murdered while trying to save her, was made to shuttle from one health centre to the other –nearly 100 kilometers away– with her husband’s body for postmortem and medical examination as doctors were unavailable.

The survivor was allegedly raped by two men who were invited home for a liquor party by her husband, a day after Diwali . Her husband was murdered while trying to save her and the couple’s 12-year-old son is a witness to the rape and murder. Their two other children were asleep at the time of the incident.

The incident was reported from Alampur village located some 120 km from the district headquarters. Accused identified as Sunil Kushwaha and Manoj Ahirwar dragged and took her behind the house and raped her taking turns. They killed her husband when he struggled to rescue her.

She had to travel between Sironj, Lateri and Basoda following absence of doctors at the medical centres, SDOP B H Sisodia said.

On Tuesday police took the survivor in their vehicle and arranged for a tractor-trolley to carry her husband’s body for postmortem. They started from her home towards Lateri public health centre around 9 am. After travelling 34 kilometers they found that there were no doctors at the PHC. Police then decided to take her to Sironj. But, here also they were made to wait for around two hours for a doctor.

Later, they received a call from Lateri that a doctor was now available at PHC, said sources. Police along with the survivor and the body returned to Lateri where an autopsy was performed around 5.30 pm, said sources. Meanwhile, the three children of the survivor were left to fend for themselves at home.

The survivor was then taken to Basoda- 80 km from Lateri - for medical examination. She had wounds on her eyes and other parts of the body.

When contacted, SDOP B H Sisodia told TOI that that they to take the body from one health centre to the other due to non-availability of doctors.

Not aware, says health officer

District medical officer Dr B S Ahirwar said there must have been some miscommunication. “I am not aware about the issue. There is no provision of transporting a body from one center to the other. In any case, we send doctors to the nearest facility,” Dr Ahirwar told TOI.

Meanwhile the two accused Sunil Kushwaha and Manoj Ahirwar were arrested by the police on Wednesday and booked under various sections including rape and murder.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

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