Investigate Puri-Konark marine drive rape case by SIT: NCW
Bhubaneswar: Dissatisfied over the State Government’s investigation
process and callousness in approaching the matter of extreme serious
consequence for women security particularly the rape and murder of 14-year-old
blind girl of Beladal in Puri-Konark marine drive on June 7 last, the National
Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday recommended for formation of a Special
Investigation Team (SIT) by the State Government for speedy investigation.
The two-member team of the NCW comprising Hemlata Kheria
and Manasi Pradhan after visiting the victim’s native, Puri District
Headquarters Hospital, concerned police stations and officials from July 17 to
July 23 suggested immediate transfer of the case to SIT consisting of police
officers with expertise in crime investigation with at least one lady officer
and headed by an officer not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner with a
mandate to complete the investigation within 60 days.
The committee in its report stated that the State
Government has failed to initiate a serious inquiry into the heinous incident.
“Even clear Supreme Court guideline for conducting rape
investigations by an expert women police officer under supervision of a police
officer not below the rank of ACP with active participation of a forensic
expert has been thrown to wind by the State Government,” the report observed.
The report too raised questions on post mortem report of
the victim and stated that the police have failed to acquire a DNA test report
of the swabs collected from the victim’s body which is a minimal requirement in
rape investigation to ascertain the number of persons involved.
It too blasted the Government for its Rs 10,000
compensation to victim’s family and suggested Rs 10 lakh compensation.
“Though four cases of rapes have occurred in the Puri-Konark
marine drive in last two years and the NCW chief Mamta Sharma during her last
visit to the place had suggested 24 hour patrolling in the region, but we found
no trace of any patrolling vehicle in eight hours it spend during course of
inquiry in the marine drive,” said the report.
Similarly, the committee found that none of the major
police stations in Puri had even a functional ‘Women Desk’ and the city was
devoid of even a single ‘Women Police Station.’
Besides, the committee recommended Rs 10 lakh as
compensation to the victim’s family, appointment of a special public prosecutor
for trial of the case in a fast track court.
The committee also recommended a special ‘Women
Protection Force’ for Puri and a well equipped intensive care unit at Puri District
Headquarters Hospital, women Police Station in Puri and augmentation of Women
Security at Puri Railway Station.
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