U'khand shelter home rape: BJP Mahila Morcha protests for CBI

BJP Mahila Morcha workers held a protest march here today demanding a CBI probe into the alleged rape and abortion of a physically challenged inmate and death of two others at a women's shelter home here, prompting Chief Minister Harish Rawat to announce a judicial inquiry.
Shouting slogans, the Mahila Morcha workers started the march from Lord Venkateshwar Hall to the Chief Minister's residence but were were not allowed to go beyond Hathi Barkala chowk by police personnel.
About 100 protesters were detained when they tried to cross over the barricades, police said.
Meanwhile, in an apparent bid to calm flared tempers, Rawat announced that a sitting or retired High Court judge will probe the incident.

Uttarakhand BJP chief Ajay Bhatt who was present at the scene of protest accused the state government of shying away from a CBI probe as it was trying to "shield government bigwigs involved" in it.
When told the Chief Minister had announced a sitting or retired HC judge will into inquire the matter, Bhatt said his party will accept nothing less than a CBI probe.

The alleged sexual exploitation of a hearing and speech impaired inmateat Nari Niketan came to light last month after which Rawat ordered an SIT probe.
The SIT has arrested over half a dozen employees of the shelter home so far including its former Superintendent Meenakshi Pokhariyal in connection with the incident.

Close on the heels of this incident coming to light, two other women inmates of the shelter home died allegedly due to malnutrition, while five others had to be hospitalised.