Police probe security lapses at MLA hostel after minor's rape

Police are probing alleged security lapses and scanning the CCTV footage of the MLA hostel here where two persons booked a room and allegedly raped a 17- year-old girl on the premises.
According to police, the girl was allegedly raped by the two men at the MLA hostel in Civil Lines area of the city on April 14, following which they were arrested on April 18.
One of the accused, Manoj Bhagat (44), was known to the girl as she worked at his shop in the city. The other accused, is Rajat Madre (19). Both are residents of Gittikhadan area in the city.

Police had earlier said Bhagat took the girl to the MLA hostel and allegedly raped her inside a car at the parking area on the premises. Madre later joined Bhagat and the duo then raped her in a room booked by them in the hostel.
Police are questioning two employees of the MLA hostel, one of whom reportedly had called the duty staff for issuing the room to the accused on the fateful night.
The accused had booked the room with a reference of a hostel staffer around 11 PM on the day of the incident, a senior PWD official in-charge of the premises told PTI.

The official said he was not aware as to what identity proof the accused had submitted to book the room.

There are three receptionists at the hostel which has 288 rooms spread across three wings, he said.
Asked about steps taken by the administration to address any lapse on the part of the staff, the official said they are inquiring the matter.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Sadar) Somnath Waghchaure, who is investigating the case, told PTI that they are trying to go through government orders about the standard operating procedures to be followed at the MLA hostel.
Besides, police have seized the digital video recorder installed at the MLA hostel and are scanning the footage of the fateful night and of some days prior to the incident.

Waghchaure said police are in the process of recording the statements of the two employees who were on duty on the day of the incident.
"If, during investigation, their involvement is found in the incident, they can be booked as accused," he said.
Interrogation of the two arrested accused is on, police said.
Nagpur is the second capital of Maharashtra where the winter session of the state Legislature is held.