Seven booked after woman alleges gang rape near Murthal in Haryana

The Haryana Police on Sunday registered a case of gang rape after a woman from Delhi's Narela area filed a complaint, even as a senior police officer said she could not confirm if the incident was linked to alleged Murthal gang rapes.

The woman called up the helpline of the all-women Special Investigation Team set up to investigate the alleged gang rape of at least 10 women commuters in Murthal in Haryana's Sonepat district last Monday (February 22) during the pro-reservation Jat stir.

"I cannot say if this incident is linked to the alleged Murthal gang rapes. We are investigating. I am going to Delhi to record her statement," SIT head and Deputy Inspector General of Police Rajshree Singh told media persons.

She said seven people have been booked in the gang rape case.

Police sources said the complainant said she could identify all seven accused, including her brother-in-law, who committed the crime on February 22-23 night.

"She complained that she was travelling from Haridwar when her bus broke down near Murthal. She said she boarded a van (taxi) in which other people, including women, were also travelling. However, the van was stopped by some people, who pulled them out and gang raped her in the fields," Rajshree Singh said, adding that investigations into the complaint had begun.

Police sources said a personal dispute in the case could not be ruled out.

The Haryana government on Friday set up an all-women inquiry committee to probe the alleged gang rapes on women who were commuting on the National Highway-1 early Monday.

The inquiry committee, headed by DIG Rajshree Singh and comprising two women Deputy Superintendents of Police Bharti Dabas and Surinder Kaur, on Saturday visited Hasanpur village near Murthal, where the alleged assault took place.

The Haryana government and police earlier maintained that no gang rapes occurred near Murthal.