Panchkula: After the gruesome kidnapping and rape of 21-year-old engineering student in Panchkula on the night of January 17 and police failing in its chase of rapist, questions are being raised over women’s safety in the city and police efficacy. As many as 4 rape cases have been registered in the first 20 days of 2017 along with a kidnapping case, which is still unsolved. The landline number of women police station 0172-2021091, given on Panchkula police website, has not been working for months.
Here are the 4 cases
Case-1: January 7. A 20-year-old man was booked for allegedly raping a 6-year-old girl in Sector 26. The accused was arrested.
Case-2: January 10: A 16-year-old boy was booked for allegedly raping a 9-year-old orphan girl in Mansa Devi Complex. The accused was arrested.
Case-3: January 14: A 30-year-old man was booked for allegedly raping a 15-year-old mentally challenged girt The accused was arrested.
Case-4: January 16: A 14-year-old was allegedly kidnapped from Sector 4. She couldn’t be traced. The family alleges police laxity. ACP Munish Sehgal said that he will inquire into the case.
Case-5: January 18: An unknown person was booked for allegedly kidnapping and raping a 21-year-old engineering student. The accused is yet to be arrested. Poke are still clueless.
PROGRESS IN JANUARY 18 RAPE CASE?
Eight days after an engineering student was allegedly raped at gunpoint, police released a sketch of the suspect and made an appeal to the public to pass on any information about the accused to the police. The sketch was made as per descriptions revealed by the victim. A case was registered at Women police station of Panchkula police.
What Panchkula Police Commissioner has to say?
Commissioner of police, Panchkula, RC Mishra, said, “Women are safe in Panchkula. We have 25 PCRs, 29 motorcycle riders and 11 check posts put up across the city to ensure safety round the clock. A network of CCTV cameras is also there. There have been 4 rape cases this year, but 3 of them have been solved. We have been working hard to crack January 18 rape case also.”
He added that he himself had been patrolling and checking police stations and police posts and had recently suspended in-charge of Barwala police post.
(News Source HT)