Cops dragged feet on rape

They failed to take immediate action on a complaint about rape of a minor

Two suspects have been arrested but the other two are at large. Shanthi (name changed) was allegedly sexually assaulted by four persons over several days in the house of one of them at Shanubhoganahalli.

The matter came to light when the wife of one of the suspects got wind of it and raised an alarm on Friday. The news then spread to the entire locality and a neighbour informed the police.

The victim was taken to Bannerghatta police station and later shifted to a local girls’ hostel where she stayed for a day.

The police neither registered a complaint of sexual assault nor did they act against the suspects. Instead, they handed her over to MSV on Saturday.

Counselling reveals

Shanthi’s tale of ordeal came to light only when counsellors at MSV gave her a hearing. The victim narrated, in detail, the torment she was subjected to.

Acting on her statement, MSV referred the case to Bannerghatta police and asked them to register a case.

The girl was taken to the police station and her statement was recorded. Bannerghatta police insist that the girl had not lodged any complaint with them on Friday when the matter first surfaced.

Hence, no case was booked. Informed sources, however, point out that police could have acted on their own as the girl had been sexually assaulted.

Further, the police did not send Shanthi for medical examination. Police claim
Bannerghatta Police Sub-Inspector claimed that the matter was brought to their attention “only on Sunday”.

“We acted quickly and booked a case of rape under Section 376 of the IPC. Although the girl denied being forcibly brought to the place and did not complain of sexual assault, we have still ‘booked’ a case as she is a minor,” the officer told Deccan Herald.

Shanthi, an orphan, has a brother and a sister. According to her, a woman from her village had brought her to Bangalore, promising a job, about six months ago.

Shanthi worked in a house in Kumaraswamy Layout for about two weeks before she was fired. Homeless and hungry, she landed a job at a construction site where she also used to sleep. But, she could not work there for long.

Soon, an unidentified boy, who was tracking Shanthi’s movement, took her to a remote place where four persons raped her. They threatened to kill her if she complained. Later, they left her near Kumaraswamy Layout. After a few months, they took her again and sexually assaulted her.

Shanthi did not have any job but she continued to sleep at the construction site in Kumaraswamy Layout.

It is here that one of the suspects, whose identity the police refused to disclose, spotted and took her to Bannerghatta where Shanthi went through another ordeal before she was rescued.