A nineteen-year-old CBSE topper from a village near Rewari in Haryana, who was felicitated by the President after she topped the CBSE board exam was brutally gang-raped by a dozen men while returning from her coaching classes earlier this month. The incident had created a huge uproar in the media.
Haryana CM ML Khattar, while assuring the public and the victim’s family that strict action would be taken against the accused, appealed to the public not to harbour the two accused who are still absconding. “Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them”, said Khattar while addressing the media.
Police have been directed to take strict action in the case. The other two accused in the case will also be arrested soon. Appeal to the public to not harbour them. Strict legal action will be taken against those who harbour them: Haryana CM ML Khattar on Rewari gangrape case pic.twitter.com/wqM8ZJwjH8
— ANI (@ANI) September 17, 2018
According to reports, three people, who belong to the victim’s village, had kidnapped her in Kanina from where she was taken to a farm in Jhajjar district. There she was gang-raped by around 12 people. The accused later threw her near a bus stop in Kanina. According to several reports, the family of the victim alleged that the perpetrators had threatened to kill the teenager if she reported the crime to the police. They have also alleged the police of refusing to file an FIR.
The special investigation team (SIT) who have been probing the case recently, has made three arrests so far. Cops arrested one of the main accused, Nishu Phogat, who is said to be the mastermind behind the heinous crime, Deendayal, the owner of the room where the crime transpired, is booked for criminal conspiracy as he was aware of the gang-rape but did not inform the police and Sanjeev Kumar, the medical practitioner, who examined the woman after her health worsened due to sedation and sexual assault. He too has been booked for criminal conspiracy.
The police suspect that the medical practitioner knew about the crime the men had committed but did not inform anyone. SP Nazneen Bhasin, who is heading the SIT has informed media that the doctor was allegedly present at the scene of the crime but did not report it. The police are also suspecting his direct involvement though earlier it was reported by media outlets that he is a key witness and is being protected by the police.
The incident which occurred on 12th September had raised several questions because though the family had filed a complaint the same day, no action was taken by the police immediately. The police’s inaction for almost 14 hours had raised several questions on their competence.
Almost after 72 hours with not a single arrest made till then, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Nazneen Bhasin, Superintendent of Police in Nuh, was constituted.
The Special Investigation team did make a quick breakthrough in the case by nabbing the doctor and subsequently making the other two arrests.
The Haryana CM too had to withstand several criticisms so far, as he had reportedly not only dodged all questions asked to him regarding the incident but had also snapped at the journalists when he was confronted with proofs that exposed the incompetence of the Haryana Police.
Amidst the uproar, the mother of the victim had claimed that she was offered Rs 2 lakh compensation cheque from the government. However, she has refused to accept it and demanded justice for her daughter.
