12-yr-old stalked, 3 on the run

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 20

A 12-year-old girl is stalked, shown indecent gestures by three boys for quite some time, but the passersby don’t even bother to intervene to deter the perpetrators. The girl who underwent that harrowing incident on August 12 is a resident of the walled city and studies in Class VIII. The C-division police registered a case Sections 354 and 34 of the IPC on August 18, but no arrest has been made so far as the accused are on the run.

The crime has been captured by CCTV cameras in the walled city. The incident took place on August 12 afternoon when she was returning from school. The CCTV clips show the girl scurrying in a street while three boys, said to be students, following her and making indecent gestures. There were passersby, but no one came to her rescue.

After reaching home, she informed her parents about it. The family procured the CCTV footage and gave it to the police for action. They have sought stern action against the accused, who have been identified, but it is yet to be ascertained if they are minors.

The family alleged that even two days after the registration of the case, no action was taken by the police. They said the cases of eve-teasing should be dealt with sternly.

Meanwhile, MK Sharma, vice president of the Punjab Congress Education and Social Welfare Cell, sought immediate action against the stalkers. “Police patrolling during the start and end timings of the schools should be held. Since the girl is minor, charges under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences should be slapped,” he said.

The schools should install CCTV cameras on their boundary walls to record incidents of eve-teasing to bring the guilty to justice, he added.

SHO Amrik Singh, who is investigating the case, said raids were being conducted and the accused would be arrested soon.