The family was shifted to the guesthouse after the girl’s father died in judicial custody on April 9. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav) The family was shifted to the guesthouse after the girl’s father died in judicial custody on April 9. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)

Six relatives of the 17-year-old Unnao girl, who has accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of raping her, have returned to their village. Officials said the girl’s grandmother, mother, three younger sisters and brother returned home on Saturday under police protection.

The teenager remained at a government guest house, 13 km from the village, where the family had taken refuge around two months back. Her uncle, aunt and a cousin too have stayed back.

The family was shifted to the guest house five days after the alleged victim’s father died in judicial custody on April 9. “The district administration shifted us out of the village following a threat. We initially stayed at a hotel in Unnao and later we were shifted to the irrigation department’s guest house” said the uncle.

“We did not return home because of a threat to our lives,’’ he said. “Our house was locked so far and as there was no one to look after our farmland, we decided that a few members should return. Since heavy police force is deployed in the village, we are sure no untoward incident would occur. Other family members would also return soon.”

He said the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, has recorded their statement.

Station house officer Javed Akhtar said a provincial armed constabulary platoon has been deployed outside the family’s house.

“A police team including three sub-inspectors and seven constables have been deployed in shifts.”

Sengar is lodged in Sitapur district jail along with co-accused Shashi Singh. He is the family’s next door neighbour.

The CBI has also booked Sengar for alleged conspiracy in falsely-implicating the girl’s father in a case under the Arms Act case on April 3. Five people, including Sengar’s brother, Atul, have been booked for murdering the father. He is lodged in a Lucknow jail along with former station house officer Ashok Singh Bhadauriya and sub-inspector Kamta Prasad Singh, who are accused of framing the father and forging government records.

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