The medical officer who has examined the four Irula tribal women, allegedly raped by police, has reported that there has been no evidence of rape, chief minister J. Jayalalithaa informed the Assembly on Thursday.
“The medical tests directed by a magistrate court on the four women had revealed that there were no signs of rape,” Ms Jayalalithaa said on the allegations of rape of tribal women by policemen in Villupuram district, in which a case is pending before the Madras high court. “The probe by the magistrate is not over.
The government has informed the HC that it is prepared to hand over the inquiry to the Crime Branch-CID, if required, and further hearing (on a PIL) has been posted for April 2, 2012,” she said.
However, as the women were detained in a police vehicle at nighttime, five police personnel, including an inspector and a special sub-inspector, have been suspended. The women have been provided a relief of `5 lakh each from the CM’s public relief fund, Ms Jayalalithaa added.
She recalled that a police team from Tirukovilur had visited an Irula colony on November 22, 2011, to inquire into some thefts and four days later a complaint of rape was registered.