Dalits block NH over rape, police use mild force to clear it

Agitated over delay in arrest of four persons accused of raping a 22-year-old dalit woman at a factory here, members of a dalit organisation today tried to block the National Highway 1, forcing police to use mild force against them.
Activists of Sri Guru Ravi Das Sena Punjab gathered at the local main Sabzi mandi on Phagwara-Hoshiarpur road to protest against the delay in arrest of four persons, including a factory owner, who had allegedly beaten, drugged and gang raped the girl working in the factory worker on July 29, police said.
Phagwara SP Gursevak Singh Brar tried hard to persuade them not to proceed to National Highway 1, but when some of the protesters broke the police cordon and rushed to towards NH 1, police had to use mild force to foil their bid to stage blockade, they said.

Around a dozen protesters were apprehended and bundled into bus, Brar said, adding those rounded up were later released.
He said, since the protesters become violent and started pelting stones at the vehicles on the NH, police had to use mild force.
However, Sena President Dilbar Singh denied protesters pelting stones at the vehicles and accused police of high-handeness.

Factory owner Mandip Singh and three others, two of them identified as Kuldip and Baba, were booked for rape, criminal intimidation and causing hurt after the victim recorded her statement on August 2.
Name of one of fourth accused was not known.

A woman colleague of the victim, working in the same factory, was also booked for hatching conspiracy.
Meanwhile, Brar said raids were being conducted to arrest the accused, who are absconding.