Alwar Gang Rape: SC/ST Commission Wants FIR Against 'Negligent' Cops

Alwar/Jaipur: National SC/ST Commission Vice Chairman L Murgan on Friday recommended that an FIR be registered against police officers whose alleged negligence led to delay in action in the Alwar gang rape case.

Murgan along with Commission secretary Pritam Singh, Rajasthan Chief Secretary D B Gupta and DGP Kapil Garg held a meeting in Alwar to review the progress in the case, which has triggered wide-spread outrage in Rajasthan.

"I have asked that negligent police officers should be booked under section 4 of SC/ST Act, charge sheet should be filed within 15 days and the case should be monitored on a daily basis. The family has demanded government job. I have asked the district magistrate to see how it can be provided, Murgan told reporters in Alwar after the meeting.

The victim's husband had claimed that he had approached the police on April 26 after the incident, but an FIR was filed on May 2. He had alleged that the police did not take action saying that they were busy with elections.

On Tuesday night, the Rajasthan government removed Alwar Superintendent of Police Rajiv Pachar and suspended SHO of the Thanagazi police station Sardar Singh while four policemen were taken off active duty.

Murgan said that a compensation of Rs 4,12,500 has been paid to the woman victim apart from Rs 50,000 provided by the women and child development department.

The victim's family submitted a memorandum for speedy trial, compensation and government job. The Commission has also asked the state government to check how the victim's husband can be provided compensation under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he added.

Meanwhile, protests continued in parts of the state including in Makrana of Nagaur district and Kota where people demanded strict action against the accused.

Police have arrested all six accused -- Indra Raj Gurjar, Mahesh Gurjar, Ashok Gurjar, Hansraj Gurjar, Chhote Lal Gurjar and Mukesh Gurjar -- on charges of gang rape and filming the crime.

On April 26, the victim was riding pillion on a motorcycle with her husband when the accused, who were on two bikes, accosted them at Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and took them to an isolated place off. They allegedly beat up the husband and raped her in front of him, threatening them of dire consequences.

Mukesh Gurjar allegedly filmed the incident in his mobile phone. The victims went to the police when the accused demanded money for not circulating the video on social media, but the FIR was lodged only on May 2.

With the Congress government in the state facing flak over the incident, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said that the culprits of the heinous crime will not be spared and speedy trial will be ensured.

He said that the state government will make arrangements that an FIR can be filed at the Superintendent of Police (SP) office itself if the SHO concerned does not file the first information report and investigate complaints.

We are going to take an important decision that if an SHO doesn't file FIR then there will be a provision that FIR can be filed at SP office and it will be monitored why the FIR was not filed at the police station concerned and action will be taken. "Steps will be taken so that crime rate reduces in the state," Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur.

He said that a committee has been constituted to investigate the matter and lapses that occurred. Action will be taken based on the inquiry report against the officers, the chief minister said.

Gehlot also said that the state government will appoint a Circle Officer (CO) rank official to look into the case of crime against women in the state for effective monitoring and speedy investigation.

Rajasthan Chief Secretary D.B Gupta said that action will be taken after committees constituted to investigate the matter submit their reports.

Jaipur Divisional Commissioner and DIG vigilance have been asked to probe the matter separately. They have been asked to submit report in 10 days. Further action will be taken after the report, Gupta said.

Three rape incidents have been reported from parts of Alwar district in the last fortnight.

On Tuesday, a 40-year-old Dalit woman was allegedly raped inside the Community Health Centre (CHC) by an ambulance driver and a compounder at Kathumar. The district police received the complaint about the gang rape on Thursday.

As per the FIR, on Tuesday night, ambulance driver Ram Niwas Gujjar locked the door of the delivery room from inside, gagged the victim with a piece of cloth before he and compounder Girja Prasad allegedly raped her.

On Tuesday, a 20-year-old woman had lodged a complaint that she was allegedly kidnapped, drugged and gang raped by three men in Alwar's Thana Gazi police station area. She was held captive at different places for four days, police said.