Police register FIR a week after rape of Patiala girl

The working of the Punjab police has come under scanner as instead of registering an FIR and taking stern action against the accused in a minor rape case, cops allegedly failed to take any action on the complaint registered by victim’s mother.

The working of the Punjab police has come under scanner as instead of registering an FIR and taking stern action against the accused in a minor rape case, cops allegedly failed to take any action on the complaint registered by victim’s mother.

A 15-year-old minor girl was allegedly raped on June 4 by her neighbour at Sanaur in Patiala district. The police registered the case after the mother of the victim admitted the girl to government Rajindra hospital on Thursday afternoon.

The police have now registered a case against accused identified as Gurtej Singh (25) under section 376 of the IPC act.

Talking to Hindustan Times, victim’s mother said the accused, who was their immediate neighbour, raped her daughter on the night of June 4.

“The accused gave her daughter some sedatives and took her to motor room and repeatedly raped her”, her mother alleged.

“The girl narrated the incident to us on June 5 following which we went to the police station and registered written complaint but the police failed to register an FIR in the case,” she alleged.

Victim’s mother further alleged that the accused had threatened her daughter with dire consequences if she revealed the incident to anyone.

“The accused has been harassing my daughter for past one-a-and half year. The victim’s family members alleged that despite repeated attempts, police officials concerned didn’t register an FIR.

The girl was admitted to the hospital after she complained about pain in her stomach on Thursday evening. The family informed doctors about the rape following which the police was called on the spot. However,the police denied any delay in registering the FIR and said they came to know about the incident only from the Rajindra hospital. Amanpal Singh Virk, SHO Sanaur, said the family on June 5 complained about receiving threatening calls from the accused but didn’t reveal the rape incident.

Though the SHO claims that police only came to know when the victim was admitted to the Patiala hospital, but the family says that they lodged a complaint of rape, but police didn’t register it.

However, the SHO failed to explain that why he didn’t take any action on the complaint.

SSP Hardial Singh Mann said:”I will look into the matter and strict action would be initiated, if any lapse on the part of the police is found”.