SIT formed to investigate Bhopal hostel sexual abuse

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I have directed that challan be presented within 10 days...we will ask for a fasttrack court trial JAIDEEP PRASAD, IGP

BHOPAL: A five-member special investigation team will probe the alleged rape of a 20-year old tribal woman and sexual harassment of two others at a hostel for speech and hearing-impaired women in Bhopal.

“Bhopal police superintendent (south) Rahul Lodha will investigate the case and I have directed that challan be presented within 10 days. We will ask for a fast track court trial,” said Bhopal police inspector general Jaideep Prasad. He said so far one tribal woman has accused the hostel director, Ashwini Sharma, of rape. Two others, who are sisters, have accused him of sexual harassment.

“The SIT will also probe whether any other women were victims or if any other person was involved in sexually abusing the women,” he added.

Sharma was arrested on Thursday and remanded in three-day police custody on Friday. The matter came to light after the women met social worker Gyanendra Purohit, who runs a counselling centre for speech and hearing-impaired in Indore. Purohit said the sisters told him about their sexual abuse and said while they had managed to escape while the tribal woman faced abuse.

“I called the woman’s brother… and asked him to bring his sister from the Bhopal hostel. The woman narrated her ordeal before us and senior police officials in Dhar and then, a case was registered against Sharma.”

The 20-year-old recorded her statement at a Dhar court on Thursday. Purohit and his wife, Monika were her interpreters.

Targetting Chouhan, Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia tweeted “After Muzaffarpur and Deoria, similar horrifying incident in Bhopal -- speech and hearing impaired tribal woman raped right under the nose of the chief minister – Utterly shameful. How long will the government look on as mute spectator? Shivraj Singhji, when will the conscience awaken.”

Chouhan said he was ‘hurt’ and announced all hostels will be inspected on monthly basis. “We give grant on the belief that they are doing good work, but no one knows where a fiend is sitting. From now on it cannot be left to the institutions.”

Social justice department principal secretary Ashok Shah said his department has nothing to do with the privately-run hostel. “We didn’t give any grant to the hostel. We stopped sending ITI students to the hostel 5 years back.”