Anger on streets, but HP cops say no rape

SHIMLA/DHARAMSALA: The four-day drama over the alleged rape of a student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, that led to massive protests reached an anti-climax today with the police describing the complaint as “fake”.

Tribune News Service

Shimla/Dharamsala, May 21

The four-day drama over the alleged rape of a student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, that led to massive protests reached an anti-climax today with the police describing the complaint as “fake”. No such “heinous” crime was committed, the police said.

The sordid incident, which rocked the state with social media sites along with all sorts of theories about the incident and even claiming that the victim had died in the hospital, turned out to be a “fiction” as the alleged victim had denied all such reports and said that she was never even touched, DGP Sanjay Kumar said.

The truth unfolded today after the complainant, who approached the college principal on May 16, was spotted near Dharamsala ground around 7.45 am by a police guard. The Additional SP, Kangra, was informed and the complainant was taken into “protective custody”. Her parents were also called.

The police also identified the alleged victim, who, along with her parents, came to the police station and categorically denied that any such incident had taken place. The complainant claimed the alleged victim (her neighbour) had asked her to tell the molestation story to the college principal. However, her version was not corroborated by the alleged victim or her parents.

Since the complainant and the alleged victim gave different versions, their statements would now be recorded in front of a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC tomorrow. The police have recorded statements of the complainant, alleged victim and their parents and investigations are on to dig out the motive behind the sordid episode.

The DGP said the complainant was identified through a sketch prepared with the help of seven students whom the complainant had met and told about the incident. The DGP said the complainant had left her home on several occasions in the past. Once she was brought back by the police of a neighbouring state. Her parents have also testified for her unpredictable behaviour.

Concocted story: CM

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Thursday said the preliminary investigations by the police indicated that the entire story was concocted and aimed at maligning somebody’s image. He hinted that the government might take action against those who had been party to the entire episode.

A rumour that took the state by storm

May 16: Rumours spread that a student of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, has been gang-raped by her seniors and that the victim is admitted to Tanda medical college

May 17: A vernacular paper carries a report suggesting that efforts are being made to hush up the case

May 18: ABVP workers gherao the college principal and accuse him of trying to hush up the matter; the principal asks the police to investigate the case

May 19: College students submit written pleas to the district police and the Kangra administration to arrest the accused; campaign goes viral on social media

May 20: The police register an FIR

May 21: The “victim” denies any such incident had occurred