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Naveen S Garewal in Chandigarh
The rumour weighed more than hearsay, too revolting to be true. The allegations of a gang-rape near Murthal on NH-10 in the heat of the Jat quota stir deserves to be looked into given the lawlessness that built up in many parts of the state in the past fortnight. In such a heinous crime, social stigma is the big challenge for victims to come out openly. Yet there was credible information.
Within hours of the report appearing in this newspaper, two senior Haryana officers, one IAS and another IPS, visited the areas mentioned in the report and came out with official statements that "nothing had happened."
The police were in a hurry, so much so that it forgot to scan the fields where the alleged rapes took place. It was only after news channels showed soiled and torn clothes that the local police was forced to retrieve them.
The Tribune team was pressured to withdraw the story in the same way as the eyewitnesses who narrated the tales of horror were forced to turn hostile. The National Commission for Women (NCW) took a suo mou notice and visited Murthal. The NCW member, a former BJP spokesperson from Panchkula, met the quoted eyewitnesses after they had been "tutored" by the police. A notice was issued to a Tribune journalist on Feb 25 via an email asking him to appear before the Commission in New Delhi, with all "evidence." The NCW was politely asked to reschedule the appearance.
One of The Tribune staffers has been warned: 'Reveal the evidence or we (police) will register an FIR and arrest you.' Attempts have been made to hack another team member's Twitter account. The phones are already under surveillance.
Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken two separate suo motu cognisance of the news report.
The question is: How can the Sonepat police, accused of dereliction of duty, conduct a probe against itself and give it a clean chit too? Despite all kinds of pressure, eyewitnesses are now coming out to narrate the tales of horror. Truth will prevail.
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