The dastardly crime of two minors being raped after being confined in a room of a house in Ramnagar in Nainital district by a dozen dacoits is something rare to Kumaon region of the State of which Nainital is a part.
Police are still stumbling in the dark over the identity of the offenders even though more than a day has passed since the deadly crime occurred.
It happened in the small hours of Sunday. This incident triggered panic among the people. They said they are terribly scared for their minor daughters, in particular in the aftermath of the crime. Police said they were probing the case.
Dacoits forced themselves into the house and looted whatever their hands lay on, brandishing firearms, and then raped two minors living in the house before they escaped.
“The horrendous crime occurred as police have failed to strike fear in the criminals. We seem to be living at the mercy of the ruthless criminals who commit crimes with impunity, caring a damn for the police.
The women and the girls are mortally scared,” said a resident of Ramnagar-the place where the crime occurred.
A homemaker from the same place echoed the fear, saying that they and their daughters were not secure even inside their houses. “Where would we goIJ We are sleepless in the nights following the crime as the thought of the criminals barging into our houses keeps haunting us. The police administration has ceased to exist for us,” she said.
The robbed family registered a complaint at Ramnagar police station and a case under sections 195/376 of IPC and sections ¾ of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered against unidentified persons, said police station in-charge BS Bhakhundi.
As per the complaint, dacoits had looted jewellery and cash worth Rs 10, 000 besides other items. The complaint stated that around a dozen dacoits had barged into the house early Sunday morning and looted the house at gun point. Before escaping, the dacoits raped two minors, flaunting guns.