Alwar gang-rape: Rajasthan govt directs DGP to book SHO, 7 others

Rajasthan government's Additional Chief Secretary to the Home Department has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to register a case against the Station House Officer (SHO) of Thanagazi police station Sardar Singh and other police personnel for negligence of duty in connection with the Alwar gang-rape case.

A case under Section 166 A (c) and Section 4 (1) / (2) (b) and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 has been registered against Singh.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Jagmohan Sharma has been asked to move out of the district, while Deputy Inspector Babulal, Assistant Sub-Inspector Ruparnarayan, and few constables were asked to be transferred outside the Jaipur range.

Apart from this, officials have been asked to replace the remaining staff of the police station present at the time of the incident.

In addition, the government has ordered to file a 16 CCA charge sheet against DSP Sharma, SHO Singh and constable Mahesh. Along with this, disciplinary action will be taken against the remaining constables.

The case pertains to an incident where a Dalit woman was allegedly gang-raped by five men while her husband was beaten up in Thanagaji area on April 26. One of the accused also shot a video of the heinous act and reportedly circulated it on social media.

The woman and her husband were travelling from Lalwadi to Taalvraksh on a bike when about five men aged between 20-25 years, stopped them and took them to a deserted area. The husband was allegedly assaulted and tied up while the woman was gang-raped. The culprits reportedly threatened the couple that they would make the video of the incident viral if a police complaint was registered.

The accused also demanded money from the couple, which was given to them. But later, when the miscreants demanded money again, the couple reported the matter to the police on May 2.

A political slugfest had erupted over the case, with BJP leaders blaming the Congress-led government in the state for an alleged failure of law and order. It had also demanded Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's resignation while accusing him of deliberately taking no action for electoral gains.