CRPF MAN HELD FOR ‘MOLESTING’ SCHOOLGIRLS DURING RAKSHA BANDHAN EVENT

THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN A GIRLS’ HOSTEL ON JULY 31 IN DANTEWADA DURING A PROGRAMME WHERE THE STUDENTS WERE SUPPOSED TO TIE RAKHIS TO PERSONNEL

RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh police identified two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel accused of molesting schoolgirls during a cultural programme last month and arrested one of them on Wednesday.

Police said they arrested 31-year-old Shamim Ahmed and sent a team to Uttarakhand to arrest 34-year-old Neeraj Kandwal, who hails from the hill state and is on leave.

The alleged molestation took place in a girls’ hostel on July 31 in the Maoist stronghold of Dantewada during a programme where the students were supidentification posed to tie rakhis to personnel.

After the programme — sponsored by a private news channel — finished, security personnel allegedly followed the girls to the toilet and molested them.

“The two accused have been identified on the basis of photo of around 254 CRPF personnel by 16 victims on Tuesday,” said Abhishek Pallav, additional superintendent of police (Dantewada). Both have been suspended. Hindustan Times had reported on Monday that the Chhattisgarh police launched an investigation against unknown CRPF personnel, a development that triggered widespread outrage in a region where security forces are often accused of egregious human rights violations.

The probe was launched after the warden complained to the police.

Palnar, where the alleged incident took place, is 25km away from the district headquarters of Dantewada.

The incident came to light after activist Himanshu Kumar wrote about it on Facebook on Sunday.

Nearly 500 girls took part in the July 31 event to be telecast on the local news channels, and tied rakhis on the personnel.

Following the complaint, an FIR was lodged against unidentified security personnel under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Dantewada collector Saurabh Kumar earlier said the district administration had formed a five-member committee headed by zila panchayat’s chief executive officer (CEO) to look into the matter.