Rajasthan: Assistant SI suspended for bullying, misbehaving with minor gang-rape victim in Kota

KOTA(RAJASTHAN): An assistant sub-inspector has been suspended on charges of bullying and misbehaving with a 14 year-old-girl, who was allegedly abducted and gang-raped by three men for five days earlier this month. Five people have been detained in connection with the alleged abduction and gang-rape and they are being interrogated, an officer said.
On Sunday evening, several BJP leaders had met Inspector General of Police Prasanna Kumar Khamesra alleging negligence and misbehaviour by Ramganjmandi police station ASI Ronak Ali in the case, following which the action was taken against him.
Kota (Rural) Superintendent of Police Kavendra Singh Sagar also constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the additional SP to investigate the charges of abduction and gang rape levelled by the girl against three unidentified men.
The victim, a Class X student, had gone missing from her house here on September 14, following which her parents had lodged a missing complaint at the Ramganjmandi police station on the same day.
She was rescued by the police from Shivaji Park under Udyog Nagar police station limits on September 18. The next day, she was produced before the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) in Kota.
"The girl in her statement to the police did not disclose that she was gang-raped or sexually exploited," Ramganjmandi police station SHO Manoj Berwal said.
"During counseling by CWC members on September 23, she said she was gang-raped by three people who she did not know," he said, adding after this statement, the police re-recorded her statement and added sections of gang-rape under the Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Bill (POCSO) Act.
According to the police, the victim told them that she had boarded a train from Ramganjmandi to Kota on September 14 as advised by one of her seniors in school.
In Kota, a young man who is a friend of her senior took her with him and held her hostage at several places, where he and his two friends allegedly raped her. They finally dropped her near Shivaji Park in Udyog Nagar police station limits late on September 18.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)