A 22-year-old married woman from Chandigarh has alleged that she was raped by 40 men after being held captive in a guest house for four consecutive days in the Morni Hill area of Haryana's Panchkula district.
Three people have been arrested after the registration of the case.
While the Chandigarh Police lodged an FIR in Manimajra Police station after the woman approached them with the complaint, the case was being transferred to the Panchkula Police, under whose jurisdiction the alleged incident took place.
The woman's husband told the mediapersons that that she was promised job at the guest house by a person known to them. He had agreed to employ her at a monthly salary of Rs 11,000 to 12,000 for cleaning the guest house. We did not know anybody, except him, he said.
“The woman has alleged that from July 15 to 18, atleast 40 people took turns to rape her. She later fled from the guest house on July 18,” said a police official.
A special investigation team (SIT) headed by Anshu Singla, IPS has been constituted by Panchkula Police to investigate the case. SHO, Chandi Mandir and SHO Women Police Station would assist Anshu Singla.
DCP Panchkula, Rajender Kumar Meena said that Haryana Police has suspended Morni police post in-charge, a constable and a Woman ASI of women police station, Panchkula for negligence in the matter and failing to inform higher officials about the incident.
The entire matter would be investigated and CCTV footage would also be checked. So far, three accused including owner of the guest house and a manager, have been arrested and guilty would not be spared. It would also be checked as to why case was not registered in this connection in Panchkula, the DCP added.
Meena said that the case is being transferred to Panchkula Police from Chandigarh.
The DCP also dismissed reports that the woman had approached the Chandigarh Police after their Haryana counterpart failed to address her complaint.
The woman’s husband has claimed that every day, about 10 men would brutalise her and this continued for four days between July 15 and 18. My wife later reached home and narrated the ordeal after which we lodged a police complaint," he said.
Following the incident, the opposition parties, Congress and Indian National lok Dal has lashed out at the Haryana Government for deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
Reacting to the incident, Finance Minister Capt. Abhimanyu said that the State Government is serious about women safety and strict action would be taken against the accused.