Kanghala/Shamli: Rape and sexual assaults are the usual phenomenon in almost all cases of communal clashes, and the recent violence in Muzaffarnagar and its surrounding areas were no exceptions.

Scores of women, including minor girls, were raped, gang-raped and sexually assaulted in Lisarh, Lank, Bahawadi, Hasanpur, Mohammadpur, Baghpat and many other small villages of Muzaffarnagar, Shamli and Panipat districts of Uttar Pradesh. The rape took place when the people were leaving their villages to save their lives and honour, say victims.

Thousands of people, who moved out of their native places fearing for their lives, feel safe and secure in Kairana, Kandhala and other small towns. They refuse to return to their heartland in despair as they fear more violence and threat to their life.

Daily Bhaskar reporters visited the relief camp organised by local residents in Kairana and Kandhala where they were shocked to learn that women, including young girls, were held captive for days.

They were allegedly gang-raped by the people belonging to the Jat community who attacked on their houses and threatened them to leave the village or face dire consequences.

A mother of three girls says, “Four women of my family, including my three daughters (age 17, 18 and 21 years), were held captive by 10-13 rioters and gang-raped in front of me. I was forced t