Bangalore rape case: Protesters stage silent march, demand action

Some protesters raised objections when BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali wanted to join the march, urging him not to politicise the matter

Hundreds of protesters today staged a silent march from the school where a six-year-old girl student was allegedly raped to a police station demanding justice for the girl and swift action against the guilty.

Parents of students studying at Vibgyor High School, which is facing the brunt of public anger for its alleged inaction, were joined by a large number of people in the march which culminated near HAL Police Station.

As the protesters demanded his presence, Police Commissioner Raghavendra Auradkar rushed to the venue and told them, "We are hugely pained by the incident...Have trust in the police."

Auradkar said from the day police received the complaint from the child's parents, officials were on the job round-the- clock. "The incident involves a minor girl. We have to deal with the case carefully and respond sensitively keeping the girl in mind."

The protesters questioned the police chief on the status of investigation and why no arrests had been made to which Auradkar requested them to send a small batch of representatives to him as discussing it in a public meeting would hamper the probe.

The march from school premises to the police station was peaceful. Some protesters raised objections when former minister and BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali wanted to join the march, urging him not to politicise the matter.

"From the day we received the complaint from parents, our officials are continuously following the case and investigation is on," Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Kamal Panth told reporters here.

He said, "In this case as the child is involved we can't repeatedly call the child...., we have to cautiously investigate this case, so there might be delay in the progress of the case but it should not be interpreted as police is not doing their duty. A team of 20 officials was involved in the probe, he said.