Molested by cops on way to shelter: Minor rape victim

Tribune News Service

Ropar, August 1

In a shocking incident, two policemen allegedly molested a minor rape victim while on way to hand her over to Child Line officials on July 30 night. No woman police official was allegedly attached with the 16-year-old victim for the 17-km late-night journey from Chamkaur Sahib to Ropar.

The incident came to light when the girl told about it to Child Line team member Sunita Bawa yesterday.

Bawa said the girl, who had been missing from her home for the past few months, was rescued from one Jabbar Singh on July 30 in Mohali district. Jabbar has been booked under the POCSO Act.

“The police brought the girl to Ropar at 10.46 pm. To make her feel comfortable, I took her to my house,” Bawa said. “The girl was restless throughout the night. During her counselling in the morning, she narrated her ordeal,” she added.

“The victim said she was brought to Ropar by four policemen and two of them, who were sitting in the rear seat along with her, molested her on the way,” Bawa said. The girl said a woman cop joined them at Ropar before she was brought to the Child Line office, she added.

On July 31, the girl’s statement was recorded in front of a judicial magistrate under Section 164 of the IPC.

Child Welfare Committee member Kuldip Chand also recorded the girl’s statement after which she was handed over to her parents. Kuldip Chand said he had started proceedings in the case and informed judicial and police officials concerned about the incident.

Ropar SSP Akhil Chaudhary said although he was yet to receive any formal complaint in that regard, his officials had brought the matter to his notice. Preliminary investigations revealed that a woman constable was accompanying the victim throughout her journey from Chamkaur Sahib to Ropar, he said. The girl also admitted that she had levelled false allegations against the cops at the instance of Jabbar Singh.

However, since the allegations were serious, he would order a high-level inquiry into the case whenever he received a written complaint in that regard, he added.