CM Khattar indicates state will participate in investigation.
By Sreekanth A Nair
As the national capital is witnessing strong protests centered on the Jawaharlal Nehru University row, shocking news of alleged gang rapes by unknown Jat agitators seeking reservations is jolting the politics of adjacent state Haryana.
The Tribune reported that 10 women were stripped and gang-raped by around 40 men, who were all Jat agitators, in Murthal in Sonipat district of the state. They were traveling in cars on NH1 when they were pulled out by the Ja agitators and raped.
Reports say that undergarments of the women are still scattered on the highway, which is just 50 kilometers away from New Delhi, the national capital.
Reports had quoted eyewitnesses saying the women were lying in the field until their family members came looking for them.
Taking the news report seriously, the High Court of Punjab and Haryana had ordered the police to start an inquiry into the issue immediately. Though the police have started an investigation, they are maintaining their stand that no evidence have been received to prove the allegations.
Justice Naresh Kumar Sanghi said the high court could not sit as a “mute spectator” to the reported incidents and that these needed to be probed by a “premier investigation agency.”
Haryana Police on Friday announced the formation of an all-women inquiry committee to look into allegations. Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Y.P. Singhal said that the inquiry committee, headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Rajshree Singh and comprising two women Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSPs), Bharti Dabas and Surinder Kaur, would probe the reported incidents.
“We appeal to people to provide any information. We are very serious about the case…we will investigate and make sure that the guilty are punished,” said YP Singal.
“The clothes that have been found have been collected. We are trying to ascertain if a crime was committed,” he added.
He denied the allegation that some police officers had tried to hush up the incident. There were reports that some local police officers had compelled the women not to report the crime as it would reveal their identity.
Both the police and the government had denied the happening of rape, on Wednesday.
But, taking a u-turn, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday said that, “We will ensure there is no injustice.”
The High Court had earlier said that the women could file complaints with Judicial Magistrate in sealed envelopes if they wanted anonymity.
The Jat community in Haryana state has been protesting for including the community in Other Backward Cast (OBC) group, which will enable them to get a quota in government jobs and educational institutions.
As many as 30 people have been killed in the agitation and thousands of vehicles have been set on fire. The state has incurred a loss of around $5 billion. Army was deployed in different parts of the state to control the violent agitation.