No breakthrough in Shimla rape case; DGP sets-up SIT, Govt orders magisterial probe

Shimla: With citizens pressures building-up on the police over alleged rape case of a 19-year girl in Shimla town on Sunday, Director General of Police SR Mardi on Tuesday set-up a seven-member Special Investigations Team (SIT) under Abhishek Yadav, ASP (Shimla) to investigate the charge.

The case, however, has a new twist on Tuesday as the victim informed the police that she had visited a police post at Lakkar Bazar on April 28 before the incident to inform that few persons were stalking her. Instead of acting on her complaint, the police personnel passed the buck at Dhalli police station. She was asked to approach the police station at Dhalli, which is almost three km from Lakkar Bazar.

Based on the police information, the state government ordered a magisterial probe by Additional DC Shimla (Law and order) Prabha Rajeev into the aspect of the victim's statement, said Additional Chief Secretary (Home), Manoj Kumar. He termed the matter as very serious. The police said it was in the process of getting the statement of the girl recorded in the court, and call details of her mobile phone were being analysed. "We haven't yet got the medical examination report, which the doctors have sent for the second opinion," said a police spokesman.

The girl, who hails from Haryana, was forcibly dragged into a car and raped in the moving car as par her statement.

The DGP also visited the spot and held a meeting with senior officials of Shimla police including SP Omapati Jamwal.

Those in the SIT included Deputy SP Yogesh Joshi and Raj Kumar, an inspector beside other police personnel of different ranks.

"The investigations will be closely monitored and supervised by SP (Shimla) and DIG (Shimla)," said a police

release.

An FIR under Section 354-A, 366,376 and 506 IPC has been registered at Dhalli police station. The town wit nessed massive protests from some citizens' groups and opposition Congress activists even as leaders of the BJP women wing also submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner Shimla Rajeshwar Goel seeking a high-level probe.

The CPI (Marxist) on Tuesday accused the BJP government of total failures of the law and order situation.