Murthal alleged gangrapes: HC takes note of woman groups raising doubts over SIT

NEXT HEARING POSTED FOR APRIL 4, WHEN OTHER PLEAS RELATED TO JAT STIR ARE ALSO LISTED FOR HEARING

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana high court has taken note of a letter written by ten women rights’ activists raising doubts over the investigation into reports of alleged gangrapes during the Jat quota agitation in Murthal in Haryana.

The HC bench of justice SS Saron and justice Gurmit Ram, while taking up the petition posted the hearing on letter for April 4, when other pleas related to the Jat stir are also listed for hearing. The letter written to acting chief justice SJ Wazifdar was ordered for hearing by justice Wazifdar.

It has been written by Jagmati Sangwan, general secretary, All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) and eight other women organszations, including Pragtisheel Mahila Sangthan, National Federation of Indian Women and All India Progressive Women’s Association.

The woman groups have stated that the government-constituted special investigation team (SIT), headed by DIG Rajshri Singh, did not inspire their confidence in the given circumstances and the role played by the police and the administration in Haryana during the Jat stir.

It has been stated that an A I DWA team had visited Murthal and interacted with many villagers and roadside dhaba owners “who appeared to be terrorised and traumatised”. The visit was undertaken following reports of alleged gangrapes in a section of media during the Jat stir on the night of February 22-23.

The letter states those families who were passing through the area to attend marriage or visiting relatives in other states were targeted by hooligans.

“Not only did the administration allow the situation to drift and escalate, we also learnt that the police intervened in the situation and discouraged the victims of sexual assault and their families from lodging formal complaints,” the let- ter reads while adding that the police argued that in the given scenario it would be difficult to nab perpetrators.

The women organisations have also alleged that the locals were threatened by the police and asked not to talk about the crime against women. “The police strictly warned the locals of dire consequences if they opened their mouth on the issue.

They were threatened that the youth of their villages would be framed in police cases if they confirm to the occurrences of the sexual assault incidents,” the letter reads, while further stressing that there was a need for an high-level probe by a special investigation team with adequate representation from legal profession and woman organisations.