Jat agitation: First complaint of rape filed in Murthal

Days after allegations of rape and molestation by Jat quota agitators near Haryana’s Murthal, a woman on Sunday came forward and registered a case of gangrape against seven people, including her brother-in-law, in connection with the incident.

“An FIR has been lodged against seven people in connection with a gangrape on the basis of a complaint filed by a Narela-based woman today,” the Haryana police DIG Rajshree Singh told reporters. The victim alleged she was raped on the intervening night of February 22-23 and the perpetrators included her brother-in-law. The victim said she knew all of them.

DIG Singh said, however, said a “family dispute” could be the reason behind the woman filing the complaint adding that she was not sure about the exact scene of the crime but claimed she was raped in a building near Murthal when she was on her way to Narela from Haridwar.

Meanwhile, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday said that rowdy elements who committed the crimes of looting and arson by taking the law in their own hands and disrupted peace in the state and played direct or indirect role in such incidents are being identified with the help of witnesses and audio and video clips. “Every person involved in such incidents would be identified and strict action would be taken against them,” the CM asserted.

The people should give the government if they have any information in this regard. The state government would compensate those whose property, including residential or commercial, was damaged during these incidents, he added. Assuring that the guilty would not be spared, he has appealed to the people to share with the police any information they had, leave the past behind, and help re-establish brotherhood in the state. “The state government is taking serious action on the news report alleging misbehaviour with some women during the protest at Murthal,” the CM said.

A Special Investigation Team comprising three senior women police officers has been constituted. One could give any related information or evidence to the team over the telephone or through letter or online. If any such untoward incident happened, the guilty would be punished”, Mr Manohar Lal said.

People of all castes and religions have always lived together in the spirit of brotherhood in Haryana. “I have full faith that the people of Haryana would soon move on leaving behind these unfortunate incidents, strengthen the feeling of brotherhood and join the efforts being made by the state government for the development of the state”, he said.

Meanwhile, Haryana Government has released an interim assistance of Rs 1,crore 12,lakh to 203 persons whose properties were damaged in recent Jat agitation.