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Police arrest another accused in 15-yr-old Rohtak minor’s rape
Police arrest another accused in connection with the alleged abduction and rape of a 15-year-old girl in Rohtak. Allegations of gang-rape are yet to be substantiated. Medical examination confirms rape. Congress MLAs demand strict punishment for the culprits.
Police have arrested the another accused in connection with the alleged abduction and gang-rape of a 15-year-old girl in Rohtak on August 10. The same comes after the arrest of three persons.
The arrested accused has been identified as Praveen. The car allegedly used to abduct the minor has also been impounded. He will be produced before the court on Monday
Police officials, meanwhile, said the allegations of gang-rape could not be substantiated so far.
Sampla deputy superintendent of police (DSP) Rakesh Singh said that no evidence has been found substantiating the girl being dragged into any car yet.
Notably, a medical examination had confirmed that the minor had been raped.
Sharing details about the initial investigation, the the DSP said, “The accused brought the girl to a hotel in Rohtak, where he raped her and no evidence of gangrape was found so far. We are still ascertaining the facts and checking closed-circuit television (CCTV) camera footage from the girl’s village to Rohtak to confirm whether it was a rape or gang-rape. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of the former.”
Singh further said the allegations of the girl being gang raped in a moving car was found to be untrue and preliminary investigation showed that she had not abducted.
“The accused were produced before the court, which granted a two-day police remand. We will ascertain the role of the third accused in the case and strict action will be taken against the culprit,” he added.
The accused trio have been booked for rape and sections of of the Protection of Children from the Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). There is no clarity on the charges against the hotel owner.
As per information, the trio, two of them known to the girl, hail from the same village. They allegedly abducted her on Thursday morning while she was headed to school. The girl told the police that she initially tried calling for help, but was threatened by the accused.
Her father, in his police complaint, said that trio gang-raped the girl in the moving car, after which she was brought to a hotel in Rohtak, where the main accused, Sahil, raped her.
“It was after they left the hotel that my daughter contacted me with the help of the staff there. The staff took her to a nearby police check-post, where she narrated the entire incident to the police,” he added.
The girl’s family alleged that a police official slapped the girl and asked her not to name the hotel owner in her complaint. They also accused a police official of taking a bribe from the hotel owner for not framing him in the case, but police officials have refuted all the allegations.
Congress MLAs met the girl and family members
Congress’ Tosham and Rohtak members of legislative assembly (MLA) Kiran Choudhry and BB Batra met the victim girl and her family at a hospital in Rohtak, where she is undergoing treatment and demanded strict punishment of the culprits.
“Hooda sahab directed me to ensure all possible help to the victim’s family. The minor is extremely traumatised and she needs regular counselling and treatment,” Batra added.
Kiran Choudhry said the women and girls are not safe in Haryana, dubbing the incident “horrific”.
“The BJP-JJP government’s claim of Beti-Bachao Beti-Padhao has been shattered. We will raise this issue in the state assembly and I have asked SP to ensure speedy investigation and trial in this case,” she added.
In a statement, Leader of opposition and former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda said the police should act with sensitivity and promptness in the matter.
