Rohtak sisters were not molested in bus, claim fresh witnesses

Two fresh witnesses have come forward with accounts that could scuttle the sexual harassment charges lodged by two Haryana sisters against three youths.

They submitted their affidavits on Wednesday to police in support of the three youths - Kuldeep, Deepak and Mohit - accused of sexually harassing the sisters aboard Haryana Roadway bus on November 28.

Five others, some of them claiming to be the passengers on the Haryana Roadway bus in which the incident occurred, also shared their affidavits with reporters and stressed that the men have been wronged.

Fracas over seats

In her affidavit, Bimla, a resident of Sonepat district, said, she was waiting for bus at Rohtak bus stand. As soon as the bus reached the counter, she asked two of the boys to get seats for her and another woman who was unwell. When the boys requested the two girls - Aarti and Pooja - to vacate the seat allotted for the ailing woman, they refused and went ballistic. They later belted the boys after heated exchange of words. Another girl accompanying them captured the incident on mobile camera. To save themselves, the two boys jumped off the bus, said Bimla in her affidavit.

Three women passengers from Thanakhurd village, the native place of the sisters, have also given similar statements to the police.

Eyewitness account of over month-old video

Two witnesses have also given statements in connection with a month-old video showing the.

According to Virender Dhankar and Yogeshwer, residents of Baketa village in Rohtak, they were present at the Huda City Park in Rohtak when the incident happened. The girls abused and tore off a boy’s clothes after he asked them why they were wasting their time in the park instead of attending college. Another girl accompanying them videographed it, he told the police.

However, now it seems the job of holding up the girls’ accusation rests entirely on the statements given by the conductor and the bus driver.

According to Labh Singh, the conductor of the Haryana Roadway bus on which the incident occurred: “These girls and boys were arguing over some issue. I asked the girls if they wanted the driver to take the bus to the nearest police station. They refused. After the with them, they beat them up. I have recorded my statement before police, but I was suspended.”

Rohtak superintendent of police Shashank Anand said, “We are trying to finalise the chargesheet. We have recorded the statements of the driver and conductor, who have given statements in support of registration of FIR. We have come to know from media reports that some bus passengers have come forward with affidavits. We will record their statements as per the procedure,” he said.