Lashing out at Chief Minister Raghubar Das-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Government in Jharkhand over gang rape of a Law University student in Ranchi, the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee (JPCC) on Friday said that the State has witnessed one of its weakest law and order arrangements in the recent past and become nightmarish for women.

Addressing a press meet at the party headquarter, senior party leader and former Union Minister, Subodh Kant Sahay said that the brutal gang-rape of a law student in Ranchi on Tuesday evening raises questions on the administration here. The State Government, he added, was giving false assurances about law and order situation and women’s safety.

“The incident took place when Home Minister of India and BJP National President Amit Shah was in the State for election campaigning and he himself said that the Government has brought an end to the fear of lawlessness in Jharkhand. This is not the first incident of gang-rape in the State. The modesty of an engineering student in Booty More was also outraged earlier,” said Sahay.

The former Union Minister stated examples of 12 such cases in which women were gang-raped. He recalled an incident on October, 9, 2018 in Jamtara in which a woman was gangraped in her private parts were injured. On July, 9, 2019, Sahay said, assailants attempted to rape a seven year-old girl in Sahebganj. On August 8, a woman was gang-raped under Namkom Police Station in the State Capital, said Sahay, adding that the day he would fall short of time if he goes on to share all such cases with the media.

“Such kinds of heinous incidents are regularly occurring. Governor Droupadi Murmu has given special instructions to police officials of the State to prevent crime against women. But Raghubar Das Government has done nothing to prevent it,” said Sahay.

Sahay said that in one hand, the Government was raising slogans of ‘Beti Padhao Beti Bachao’ and on the other hand, the State Police resorted to lathi-charge on agitating Anganwadi workers. The State Government should apologise for this, he added.

Reacting on gang rape incident against Law University student, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) General Secretary Vinod Pandey demanded strict punishment for the perpetrators and an explanation from the Government on how the incident occurred at a time when the Model Code of Conduct was enforced in State.

“This is very sensitive. While the State Government has made tall promises of improving the law and order situation in Jharkhand and reducing crimes, such incidents unravel the actual state of affairs. The Government claims to have installed CCTV cameras on roads for safety. I want to know why the police could not avert the incident that occurred only a few Kilometers away from the Chief Minister’s residence,” said Pandey.

The party General Secretary also said that the party will take to the street to draw the attention of the State Government towards the lacunae in the law and order arrangements here.

The State Unit of Communist Party of India (CPI) also sought immediate actions by the Government. Several other social organizations also expressed concern over the incident.

A 25-year-old law student was allegedly gang-raped on gunpoint in Kanke on Tuesday evening while she was taking a stroll on Ring Road with her male friend. The police have by now arrested 12 accused in connection with the case and recovered two guns and live cartridges from their possession.