Rajasthan rape-murder case: Family cremates body; cop suspended, police staff removed

A police constable was arrested and the former SHO of Khajuwala police station was suspended in connection with the alleged gang rape and murder of a Dalit woman in Bikaner, following which the family members of the victim cremated the body on Friday evening.

According to officials, a majority of staff at the Khajuwala police station were also removed for being posted at one place for more than two years.

Police inspector Arvind Singh Shekhawat is accused of giving patronage to the main accused Dinesh Vishnoi, who is absconding, when he was posted as the Station House Officer (SHO) at Khajuwala police station till recently, before being transferred elsewhere, Bikaner Superintendent of Police (SP) Tejaswai Gautam said.

Shekhawat was suspended today. It was alleged that the accused Vishnoi used to roam around in a police vehicle due to the patronage of the then SHO, she said.

An FIR against three persons, including two constables of Khajuwala police station – Manoj and Bhagirath, was registered with Khajuwala police station on Tuesday after the girl was found dead.

Also Read | Two cops among three accused of rape, murder of Dalit girl in Rajasthan

Both the constables were suspended immediately after the FIR registration and have been detained.

Constable Mukesh was terminated Thursday night after a video showing him taking the victim to a hospital in a car came to the fore, whereas Mukesh and Rakesh were arrested today, said an official.

Rakesh, a private driver, is accused of helping the main accused Vishnoi in absconding from the hospital where he had taken the victim on Tuesday.

The SP said the police had received information about the death of the girl from the hospital.

She informed that 18 policemen have been shifted from Khajuwala police station after being posted at one place for more than two years.

After the action, the family members accepted the woman's body and cremated it this evening.

"The cremation has been done. Terminated constable Mukesh and a private driver Rakesh have been arrested. Rakesh had helped the main accused in disappearing from the hospital," she said.

The deadlock between the administration and the family of the victim had been going on since the recovery of the body on Tuesday.

The family members and relatives also staged a dharna outside the Khajuwala police station on Tuesday which ended on Wednesday after the family was assured of the investigation of the case by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), arrest of the accused, compensation of Rs 10 lakh from the state government and Rs 15 lakh from social organisations along with a contractual job to one family member.

The postmortem of the body was conducted on Wednesday evening. However, after that, the family refused to accept the body, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused along with the suspension of the former SHO and removal of the entire staff of the police station.

After rounds of talks on Thursday and Friday, the consensus was reached and the body was accepted for cremation. Divisional Commissioner Neeraj K Pawan, IG Bikaner Om Prakash, SP Tejaswani Gautam and other officers held talks with the family members.

"Assurance was given to take action against all those involved in the crime and destroying evidence. Most of the policemen posted with Khajuwala Police Station have been changed. Assurance was also given to arrest all the accused involved," Neeraj K Pawan said.

Meanwhile, a three-member delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) visited Bikaner district and met the family members. They also held talks with police officials.

Ajmer South MLA Anita Bhadel, who was part of the BJP delegation, targeted the Congress government saying that crimes against women have increased under its rule in the state.

She also questioned why the constable was not terminated on the very first day.

"What has happened to Priyanka Gandhi's slogan 'Ladki Hoon Lad Sakti Hoon' now?" she asked.

In Jaipur, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said there is a long list of such incidents of crime against women but the chief minister was not bothered.

He told reporters at the party office that it was surprising that policemen were involved in the crime, adding, "Some even say that the entire police station was involved."

Mehgwal said Dalits are ready to teach the Congress party a lesson in the upcoming elections.

He said members of the National Commission for Scheduled Caste will go to Khajuwala to meet the victim's family.

A delegation of BSP also met DGP Umesh Mishra at police headquarters in Jaipur and demanded action against the accused involved in the case.