The Centre has swung into action seeking a report from the Haryana government on the gangrape of a teenage dalit girl in Hisar district who continues to await justice. The Union home ministry has written to the Haryana government to share the facts of the case prodding them to take swift action to ensure speedy justice is delivered to the victim.
The MHA has asked the state government to ensure speedy investigation is carried out by the state police to book the culprits immediately. Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde incidentally is also a dalit. The home ministry is also asking the Haryana police to give adequate police protection to the victim as well as the family if they desire it. The teenage dalit girl was allegedly raped a fortnight ago by the youth who had allegedly also threatened to make public her objectionable pictures, following which her shocked father committed suicide on September 18.
The Haryana government on Thursday sent a detailed report to the Union home ministry saying that a special investigation team, headed by a woman IPS officer, has been set up to probe the case. It has also said that seven suspects and two of their aides have been arrested. The ministry has been assured that the culprits will be booked under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act as well as relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code. The case may also be tried in a fast-track court.
The repeated incidents of atrocities against dalits in Haryana has come as a big embarrassment for the state administration with the MHA time and again writing to states to sensitise police forces and constantly review the effectiveness of the machinery in tackling the issues of SC/ STs.
Even as the Hisar gangrape incident has sparked outrage, another incident came to light where a woman was allegedly raped at gun-point in Jind district. The MHA had noted that despite several steps being taken, the picture is ‘’still very grim’’ and needs to be improved.
“Complaints are still being received regarding non-registration of FIRs and unsympathetic and insensitive attitude of some police personnel towards crimes against SCs and STs,” an MHA official said.