NCW to submit report on rape cases

JAIPUR, May 27: The Rajasthan Government was today pulled up by the National Commission for Women (NCW) for the unchecked, repeated incident...

JAIPUR, May 27: The Rajasthan Government was today pulled up by the National Commission for Women (NCW) for the unchecked, repeated incidents of rapes and other heinous crimes against women in the state.

NCW Chairperson Mohini Giri said the Commission would study various aspects of issues concerning women and submit a report to the Home Minister in a month’s time on the situation of women in Rajasthan. “This has become necessary as we have only been getting assurances with no concrete follow-up or results,” said Giri.

Giri had come to Jaipur with a NCW team following four incidents of sex crimes against women in the state. The NCW interrogated persons connected with the JC Bose hostel gang-rape case and spoke to the officials for a report on the other three cases: rape of a woman in Karauli by four men, including a BJP MLA, a panchayat samiti member and a sarpanch; rape and murder of Neelu in Kota and murder of teenage girl in Alwar after an eve-teasing incident.

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Among the persons interrogatedfor the JC Bose hostel gang-rape case were the victim who was recently subjected to another gang-rape, police officer Prahlad Krishnaiya who is one of the accused in the case of sexual exploitation of the girl, another accused Suresh Yadav, the scooter driver who used to take her from home to work and back and the doctor who conducted her medical examination.

Giri and NCW legal advisor Padma Seth were of the impression that the case appeared to be a small part of a huge racket perhaps involving some mafia. Giri said the NCW met Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Home Minister Kailash Meghwal, Chief Secretary Arun Kumar and DGP Amitabh Gupta to discuss the cases. Shekhawat, she said, was visibly disturbed at the incidents. Shekhawat, said Giri, gave four specific assurances: one, to set up a state commission for women in the shortest possible time; two, setting up pre-litigation centres and crime against women cells in every district; three, arrest of all accused identified and named by the NCW andimplementation of the NCW’s recommendations within three months, while also providing expenses for the treatment of the girl.