Protest erupts in Barmer over minor’s gang rape

Mass protest erupted across Barmer district on Saturday a day after a six-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped inside a state-run school.

Hundreds of people, including social organisations and student groups like ABVP and NSUI, protested at various places in the district demanding justice for the victim.

The girl was discharged from a hospital on Saturday morning after doctors saw improvement in her medical condition.

Police took her to the crime spot for verification and completed other investigation formalities.

The investigating officer and deputy superintendent of police, Ratan Lal, told HT that he watched the CCTV footage on Saturday.

Police, however, are yet not named any accused. The investigating officer said though they have grilled many people and school staff but accused have not been identified yet.

Police filed a case on Friday on the basis of statement given by the victim’s father, who said his daughter, a class 2 student, was tied to a table in a room near the school toilet and gang raped.

Chandan Singh Bhati, convener of social organisation ‘Group of People’, said they have protested and demanded justice for the victim.

Inder Purohit, a social activist, said this incident has created fear among girl students. He said this was the time to give a message to girls that they were not alone and the society was with them.

Karishma Bhati, a college student, said: “We are gathered to demand justice for the victim and to pose the question not only before government machinery like administration and police but also before the society and school management at large.”

POLICE TRYING TO SUPPRESS THE CASE: CONGRESS

The Congress alleged that police were trying to suppress the case because such incidents have exposed the poor law and order situation in the BJP-ruled state.

The way police were working, it seems that police were trying to suppress the matter, Congress national secretary Harish Choudhary said.

He alleged that it was not first case of police inaction. In another case last week, a gang-rape victim in Chohtan area had committed suicide due to police inaction. It appears that the state government was not serious about security and security of women, he said.