After trying to water down the brutal assault of a young Swiss couple in Agra, top police and administrative officials suddenly swung into action after Union Minister for External Affairs sought details of the incident.
The cops altered the case, initially registered under Non-Congnizable Report (NCR), and claimed to have identified three miscreants and also arrest one of them from Agra-Rajasthan border on Thursday.
Quentin Jeremy Clerc (24) came to India on September 30 with his girlfriend Marie Droz (24) told the media that they were strolling near Fatehpur Sikri railway station in Agra when a group started following them and later attacked them. The couple said that as they lay on the ground bleeding, bystanders started making videos on their mobile phones. later under fear, they preferred to proceed to New Delhi for treatment.
ADG (Crime) Chandra Prakash, who refused to give names of the accused, said that efforts were on to nab the remaining accused and teams have been sent to Rajasthan.
Reports confirmed that on last Sunday, a couple from lausanne in Switzerland came to visit Fatehpur Sikri and was chased and attacked with stones and sticks by a group of youths leaving them with serious injuries. While the youth had skull injury and consussion, his girlfriend suffered an arm fracture.
Some locals immediately informed the Police Control Room (UP 100) about the incident after which a mobile van reached there and took the couple to a Primary Health Centre for treatment. The injured victims were so shocked by the attack and by the police behaviour that they proceeded to New Delhi for advanced treatment. The police in the meantime registered a report under NCR and shelved it.
However, their move to water down the matter received a jolt when after learning of the incident on TV channels, MEA Sushma Swaraj summoned complete details of the matter from the UP government.
Soon after, the Agra police swung into action and claimed to have altered the case as a congnizable offense on the basis of medical examination.
“One person has been arrested from Agra-Rajasthan border and search is on to nab three others,” ADG (Crime) Chandra Prakash told reporters on Thursday afternoon.
Interestingly, the ADG said that the couple did not lodge any FIR hence the police suo motu lodged an NCR. He addied that after medical reports found skull injury to the youth and a fracture in arm of his girl friend, relevant sections of the IPC were included in the FIR.
Asked about the accused, Chandra Prakash said, “Initial reports
said that some of them were minors. But as probe is on, it will not be fair to disclose their names.”
When asked as to why the DGP was kept in the dark about the incident, the ADG said, “In case of any incident related to foreigners, local police has to immediately intimate the police headquarters. We will probe why this input was not sent and action will be initiated against the guilty.”
Taking note of the incident, a report has been sought from the District Magistrate and SSP of Agra.