‘Gangrape’ of the Dalit student: Only 3 guards for 3K students at Government Ripudaman College, Nabha

Tribune News Service

Aman Sood

NABHA, APRIL 11

For around 3,000 students, there were only three outsourced guards to manage the security in Government Ripudaman College, Nabha, and “not all” CCTV cameras installed in the college were functional when the ‘gangrape’ took place.

Meanwhile, the police today arrested the third accused Harry involved in the alleged ‘gangrape’ of the Dalit student of the Nabha college.

Non-functional CCTV hinders probe

• Police investigation reveals that security measures were not enough and the guards would almost do nothing to check the entry of outsiders, who visited regularly
• When the police inspected the crime scene, they saw that there was a CCTV camera installed where the incident took place but it was non-functional. Even the dates and timings on the CCTV cameras footages in the college were wrong. This is not helping the police in investigation
• The three accused have revealed that they were regular visitors to the college campus. From the canteen to the college park, they had even spread the word that they were members of the college students union

SHO, Nabha Kotwali, Gurpreet Singh Samrao, said the college had two security guards at the gate, including a woman. “However, after the incident, there are three guards. Our investigation reveals that the security measures were not enough and the guards would almost do nothing to check the entry of outsiders, who visited regularly”, he stated.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that the college had outsourced its security to a private agency and the contract was to finish on March 31. “On March 27, the day of the crime, not only the accused, but many other outsiders also were on the college campus”, said a college insider.

Samrao further said when they inspected the crime scene, they saw that there was a CCTV camera where the incident took place but it was non-functional. “Even the dates and timings on the CCTV cameras installed in the college were wrong. This is not helping much in our investigations”, he added.

Sources inside the police department confirmed that a preliminary probe revealed that many outsiders were regular visitors to the college, so much so that they knew the sweepers and canteen employees by name.

“The three accused have revealed that they were regular visitors to the college campus and it was their routine to sit on the campus. From the canteen to the college park, they had even spread a word that they were members of the college students union”, said the police.

The National Human Rights Commission has sought a detailed report of the incident.

On April 7, the girl mustered courage to inform her parents and following a complaint by the victim on April 8, an FIR was registered on April 9.

“The three accused took turns to rape me. We can gangrape again and murder you at will. The accused threatened to kill me if I revealed anything about the incident”, reads the FIR.

As per the FIR, the victim states that Davinder Singh asked her to come to the principal’s room on the first floor of the building where he wanted to talk. “Around 1 pm, when I went to the room, the accused along with two others raped me”, says the victim. Davinder, Ravneet Singh and Harry are now in police custody. “I am personally monitoring the case and we will gather all evidence. The third accused has also been arrested. We will give justice to the victim and any negligence on part of anyone will also be reported”, Patiala SSP Varun Sharma said.

When the correspondent rang the Principal, Government Ripudaman College, Hartej Kaur, she said she was driving and would get back soon. She did not call back again.

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