The spree of rape continuing across the State despite police claiming to be tightening the screws, a woman was allegedly gang-raped on Tuesday by three persons in Sahaspur area in Dehradun district. The incident coming close on the heels of the heinous Bulandsahr rape where a woman was gang-raped while being waylaid at the national highway made the people of Dehradun angry with police. The place where the gang rape was committed is not far from the Dehradun city. They said police have miserably failed to instill fright in the criminals despite being verbose in taking measures to curb crimes. The survivor was reported to be returning home from her office when she was dragged into the forest area. Sources said that she works in a factory in Sahaspur area. While she was returning home after her work was over the incident occurred.
Police sources said that she had recorded her statement under section 161 of CrPC before the police. However, she refused to have medical examination conducted on her. Her statement would be recorded under section 164 of CrPC before the magistrate soon.
Victim’s father registered a complaint and a case under sections 376 (d) of IPC was registered against the three persons in the police station at Sahaspur. In his complaint, he stated that his daughter was coming from factory when the trio forced her on the two-wheeler they were riding, took her to a forest and gang-raped her.
SSP Sadanand Date said they had taken the matter very seriously. A team was formed at his behest and the team members started investigation. Sahaspur Police Station in-charge Mukesh Tyagi said that the accused have been identified. Team members are working hard to arrest the accused.
However, the incident has deepened the scare among the people, particularly the women and the girls, as police are failing to stop recurrence of such heinous crimes. Dehradun being included in the list of such crimes is adding to the collective scare. Haridwar district has been in the news for rapes and other crimes. Recently, a minor was allegedly gang-raped by two persons from the survivor’s own locality when she went to their agricultural field along with her father in Haridwar. Both had allegedly raped the minor in an intoxicated state. The latest was the case of two minors in Ramnagar in Nainital district being allegedly gang-raped by around six dacoits who looted their house too.
Observers say that police must present a pro-active face in dealing with the criminals. “If things continue the reputation of police as protectors of the citizens might plummet to its nadir,” said one of the observers.