2 booked for raping 14-yr-old girl

Gagandeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, May 20

Two persons have been booked by the police for raping and threatening a 14-year-old girl in Pakka Kalan village under the jurisdiction of the Rama police station.

A case has been registered against the accused under various sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The family of the victim and residents of the area alleged that the police were trying to save the accused.

The victim’s mother alleged that both accused took turns to rape her daughter but the police had booked only one accused, Manpreet Dass, on rape charge and the other accused was booked for threatening her with dire consequences.

They said the police had also not booked a girl who helped the accused in the crime.

In the complaint lodged by the victim, a Class VIII student and a resident of Pakka Kalan, it was stated that on May 16, her friend Jaspreet Kaur took her to the house of Rani, a resident of the village, for some work.

The victim alleged that when they reached Rani’s house, the latter was not available there. However, Manpreet Dass, son of Rani, and his friend Babbu were present.

The victim said Jaspreet told her to stay there as she was going to call Rani. Afterwards, Manpreet took her to a room where Babbu was already present where Manpreet raped her and Babbu threatened her, the FIR stated.

After committing the crime, the accused let her go from the place. initially, she did not tell about the incident to anyone but later she narrated it to her parents who informed the police.

The mother of the victim and several local residents told the police that both accused had raped the girl.

She accused sub-inspector Jaswinder Kaur of favouring the accused and said that the police had not booked Jaspreet Kaur in the case.

She alleged that the police had not registered the case as per the victim’s statement and they also threatened her and told her to sign on a blank paper.

She alleged that the SI also threatened Swranjit Singh Khalsa, who asked the latter why the victim had to sign on a blank paper.

However, the SHO, Rama police station, Manoj Kumar, said the police had registered the case against the accused as per the statements recorded.

He said a person had misbehaved with SI Jaswinder Kaur and she had filed a complaint in this regard at the Kotwali police station.

The victim’s mother have given a complaint to the SSP Bathinda seeking action against the SI and registration of a case against all accused in the case.

Meanwhile, the SI said Swranjit Singh had misbehaved with her at the local Civil Hospital and she had filed a complaint against him.