NHRC notice to Rajasthan govt, DGP in Alwar gang rape case

The National Human Rights Commission has issued a notice to the Rajasthan government and the state DGP in connection with the alleged rape of a Dalit woman by five men in front of her husband in Alwar.

A video shot by the accused also reportedly went viral on social media, the NHRC said.

"The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that a Dalit woman was allegedly raped by five men after tying up her husband in Thanagaji area of Alwar district in Rajasthan on April 26. Reportedly, despite having registered an FIR in the matter, police did not take any action for four days because of elections on May 6," the rights panel said in a statement on Wednesday.

The commission has observed that the contents of media reports, if true, amount to gross violation of the human rights of the victim and her husband.

The NHRC said issued notices to the Rajasthan chief secretary and the state director general of police (DGP), asking them to submit a report in the matter within six weeks.

The commission said it would also like to know whether provisions of the SC/ST Act, 1995 have been applied in the case for action against the guilty and statutory relief to the victim.

Four of the five suspects in the rape case have been arrested, while the city SP has been shunted out and an SHO suspended in connection with the matter.

The husband of the victim claimed that he had approached the Thanagaji police station SHO and the SP with his complaint, but he was asked to wait as they were busy with the elections. He alleged that an FIR was registered only on May 2.

Jaipur Inspector General S Segathir said Wednesday that four suspects have been arrested and 14 police teams pressed into service to nab the fifth accused.

The state government has released an interim relief of Rs 4.12 lakh for the victim as per the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

Meanwhile, locals took out a protest march in Thanagazi town demanding arrest of all the accused. Protests were also held in Dausa, Jaipur and Churu demanding death penalty for the culprits.

On April 26, the accused stopped the couple's motorcycle on Thanagaji-Alwar road and beat the husband. They stripped the couple and raped the woman in front of her husband. One of accused also shot a video.

The victim's husband alleged that the police officers did not heed his request for action against the culprits.