Woman Says Gang-Raped In Murthal During Jat Agitation, Case Filed

New Delhi:  A woman has come forward and told the Haryana Police that she was pulled out of a car and gang-raped in Murthal on the night of February 22. The police have registered a case, a senior official said on Sunday.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajshree Singh said the survivor, who is from Narela in Delhi, came to the women's police station in Murthal and a case was registered. The woman told the police she was accompanied by her 12-year-old daughter, who was let-off unharmed, when they were pulled out of the car by seven men including her relative.

"The police will now investigate the charges," Ms Singh said. Another police official said that the incident took place after midnight.

After reports of sexual assault on a number of women at Murthal during the violent agitation demanding reservation for Jats, the state had formed a three-member team headed by Ms Singh to probe the allegations. The Punjab and Haryana High court took suo motu cognisance of a newspaper report in The Tribune.

After the police said they had received no complaints, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also issued an appeal to the people to cooperate with the police.

Police officials said while some men had called to say they saw women being dragged into the fields, but they did not come to record a statement. A truck driver claimed yesterday that he saw dozens of women being dragged to a field near Murthal, but said he didn't know if they were sexually assaulted.

"I saw almost 50 women. They were being taken to the farms. I didn't see what was done with them," he told news agency ANI on Saturday.

Another truck driver said he saw women being dragged to field near the highway. He also said he could not lodge a police complaint as he was thrashed by the protesters.

Innerwear scattered on the highway near Murthal and the account narrated by the truck drivers gave a chilling face to reports that women were raped near this popular pit-stop for travelers.

 
Sponsored Link

Jat stir: Women police team visits Murthal to probe rape allegations

The three-member committee of women police officers constituted to receive complaints regarding alleged rape of women at Murthal near Sonepat during the Jat stir today visited the site of the alleged incident.

The women police officers team led by DIG Dr Rajshree Singh and two women DSPs, Bharti Dabas and Surinder Kaur, visited the site to gather first hand information about the alleged incident, over 50 km from Delhi.

Asked about recovery of some clothes belonging to women at Murthal on the Delhi Ambala National Highway, Rajshree told reporters, "These had been sent to Forensic Science Laboratory for examination".

"Let us see, what comes out," she told reporters in Murthal.

Probe panel members in Sukhdev Dhaba(Murthal)as part of inquiry into reports of rapes during #JatReservationprotests https://t.co/6DNGSDDUW6

— ANI (@ANI_news) 1456560503000

Asked how challenging would it be for the police to identify culprits of the alleged incident, she said police was visiting the "scene of the crime" to collect clues and talking to people in this regard.

"It is challenging. But let us see, what happens," she said, asserting, "It will be our endeavour that truth comes out."

"We appeal to all citizens who have any clue to forward. They should meet us and tell us whatever they have seen, they should share with us all details and we will try to bring out the truth. We are visiting the scene of crime and meeting people," she said.

Samples of cloth pieces were sent,let's see what comes out. It is a challenge-DIG Rajshree Singh #JatReservation https://t.co/5PSaAtixtN

— ANI (@ANI_news) 1456559328000

The state government, had yesterday said it would act "swiftly" as and when it receives complaint on alleged sexual assault during Jat agitation.

Police had earlier maintained that no concrete evidence had been found so far which could prove sexual assault or rape of women took place at Murthal during the Jat stir for quota.

Punjab and Haryana High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of a media report which had said that several women were allegedly raped at a highway in Murthal during Jat stir. 

Members of probe panel formed to inquire reports of rapes during #JatReservation protests, reach Murthal (Haryana) https://t.co/R0WPGxrdUH

— ANI (@ANI_news) 1456558303000

The court had asked the Haryana DGP and Home Secretary to submit separate detailed report on this incident.

However, the state government had been maintaining that no such incident had taken place.

Sponsored link