Moid Khan's shopping complex, accused of gang rape in Ayodhya, demolished

Ayodhya (Alto Adige): On Thursday, the district administration bulldozed a commercial complex owned by Moid Khan, a gang-rape accused and alleged by the BJP to be a Samajwadi Party member. On July 30, the Ayodhya police arrested Moid Khan, who ran a bakery in Bhadarsa Nagar under Purakalandar police station area, and his employee Raju Khan for allegedly raping the 12-year-old girl two months ago and recorded the act.

The incident came to light recently when a medical examination revealed that the victim was pregnant. Bulldozers started demolishing the shopping complex in Bhadarsa town around 1:30 pm. According to police, the shopping complex was empty and a branch of a bank operating there was shifted before the demolition.

Sohawal Tehsil Sub-Divisional Magistrate AK Saini said, “The Moid Khan shopping complex was built on public land. So, steps have been taken to demolish the unauthorised building.” Heavy security arrangements have been put in place in Bhadarsa town with deployment of provincial armed police and civil police to ensure law and order, officials said. On August 3, the Ayodhya district administration demolished the Moid Khan bakery which was allegedly built illegally over a pond.

BJP leaders, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, have alleged that Moid Khan is a Samajwadi Party member and part of Faizabad MP Awadhesh Prasad’s team. However, Akhilesh Yadav said in a statement, “Without DNA test in the Ayodhya Bhadarsa case, the BJP’s allegations will be seen as biased.” The BJP hit back, saying the SP was defending a “paedophile” and showing its “boys-to-be-boys mindset” while the INDIA bloc leaders remain “silent”.