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Rewari gang-rape: Three main accused arrested, two absconding

Prime accused Nishu, who has been arrested, while two others, identified as Manish and Pankaj, an Army personnel are still absconding. (Source: Twitter/ANI)

Police arrested three main accused in the gang-rape of an ex-CBSE topper in Rewari, Haryana on Sunday evening. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar transferred Rewari SP Rajesh Duggal as he felt “police inaction initially” in the FIR registration.

Two other main accused,  Pankaj, an Army man, and college student Manish, are still absconding. “Over 100 people have already been questioned,” said Nuh SP Nazneen Bhasin, in-charge of the SIT.

A local wrestler, Nishu, was also arrested, police said. The other two had been arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing into the case, namely, Deendayal, who is from the victim’s village and the owner of the tubewell where the sexual assault took place, and Sanjeev, a registered medical practitioner who administered first-aid to the victim after the gangrape but did not inform the police about the crime, police said. “He should have informed the police about the crime,” said Sandhu.

Deendayal had provided the three main accused the key to the room near the tubewell where the incident took place, police said. He has been arrested on the basis of “technical evidence”, said police. “He has been hiding since the crime. He has made some revelations before the SIT, on the basis of which we are conducting further searches for the main accused,” said Bhasin. “The accused was produced in court today and has been taken into remand for further questioning.”

Raids are being conducted in Rajasthan, Delhi, and other states to catch the rest of the accused. The police have been recording statements from people in “all the areas that are connected to the crime”, including Kanina, from where the girl was abducted. “In addition, we have provided security to the family of the victim, and have posted personnel at their home as well as in the area,” said Bhasin.

Sandhu confirmed that the Chief Minister decided to transfer Duggal after he felt “inaction on part of the police initially”. “Action may be taken against more policepersons if any fault is found on their part during an ongoing inquiry by Rewari ADGP,” said Sandhu. “The probe in the gangrape case will be completed within one month to ensure justice to the girl. It’s trial will be conducted by a fast track court,” he added.

The victim’s mother stated that the family intends to return the Rs 2 lakh cheque handed to the girl’s father under the Haryana Victim Compensation Scheme 2013 by Vivek Yadav, Chief Judicial Magistrate and Secretary of District Legal Services Authority. “Such a crime has been committed and instead of giving justice they have given us this cheque.We want justice, not a cheque. Is this the price for my daughter’s dignity? I am returning this cheque,” she said.

Earlier, in the details the victim gave to the police, she alleged that she was raped until she fell unconscious and later dumped at a bus stand. Accordingly, she was on her way back from a coaching centre near her village in Rewari when three young men arrived in a car allegedly kidnapped her and dragged her to a field, where they raped her.

A few other men who were already at the field also took turns to rape her, the police said. The woman alleged that all the men are from her village.Her parents alleged that initially, the police refused to file an FIR which led them to run from once police station to the next to file a complaint after the alleged accused had threatened them.

“My daughter was rewarded by Modi ji after she topped the CBSE board exams. Modi ji says ‘beti padho, beti bacho‘, but how? I want justice for my daughter. Police have taken no action yet,” the woman’s mother told news agency ANI.

 

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