Jat agitation: Committee to probe Murthal ‘rape’ cases

The Haryana government has constituted a three-member committee headed by deputy inspector-general of police Dr Rajshree Singh and two women deputy superintendents of police as its members to gather information concerning the alleged incident of sexual assault on some women near Murthal on the intervening night of February 22 and 23.

The two other members of the committee are Ms Bharti Dbas and Ms Surinder Kaur. Their phone nos. are — Dr Rajshree Singh: 9329995000, Ms Bharti Dbas: 8053882302 and Ms Surinder Kaur: 9729990760.

While stating this at a press conference here on Friday, director-general of police Y.P. Singal said that these women officers would be available in Sonepat till further orders and anyone could provide the information concerning the incident to them which could be in the form of audio or video clips or photographs or in any other form.

Director-general of police Y.P. Singal also assured that the identity of the informer would not be disclosed.

He said that the information could be provided to the police or its three-member team round-the-clock.

He said that the Punjab and Haryana high court too has, while taking cognisance of the news item which appeared in a newspaper, directed its chief judicial magistrates in districts to gather information related to the incident. Also, the state legal services authority has also decided to get information which can be provided either on its website www.hslsa.nic.in or on its toll-free No. 18001802057. The information can also be given to state legal services authority even on holidays during office time.

He said that initially two senior officers of the state government, including a principal secretary and an inspector-general of police, had visited the spot of the incident and the nearby area, but no evidence of the occurrence could be found. He said that now the three-member committee has been constituted to widen the scope of gathering the information about the alleged incident.

When his attention was drawn towards the clothes of alleged victims lying scattered on the spot, he said that these had been collected by the superintendent of police, Sonepat, and an investigation was in progress. He also appealed to the media to share timely information with the police so as to help it in nabbing the culprits.

The Additional Chief Secretary, Mr P.K.Das said that the State Government was very serious about this alleged incident and those found guilty would not be spared. He appealed to the people to cooperate and provide information without any fear as the identity of any informer would not be disclosed.

Mr Singal denied that the police personnel at lower level might be trying to keep a lid on the episode.

When asked whether the Women Commission could get the issue investigated of its own, Mr Singal replied in affirmative saying that any statutory body did not require permission from the government.