Gang Rape episode of the Dharamsala College turned up to be a rumor – Police
The week long alleged Gang Rape episode of the Dharamsala College turned up to be a rumor, as per the statement of the District police. The SP Kangra said in a press conference at Dharamsala , “ Both the complainant lady and the so called victim are identified and they have stated that rape a side not even the molestation was attempted.” The SP Kapil Sharma said that the complaint who visited the Principals office on Saturday is a married lady but do not have any younger sister as claimed earlier and the so called victim student has a younger brother and sister.
Member of the SIT (made for this incident and headed by Pankaj ) ASP Shalini Agnihotri IPS who was also present in the conference said, “ the interview of both the females concerned was covered under camera , and the police is on the job that what was the cause behind this incident were a lady complained verbally to the Principal that her sister was gang raped in the campus.” Police also said that it is investigating the social media which spread the rumor. SP said that the investigation is still on . The mood in Dharamsala, otherwise a sleepy hill town, was of anger and distress as the students of Government Post Graduate College escalated the protest over the alleged ‘gang rape’ of an undergraduate student which allegedly took place on the college campus here last Friday.
Earlier on Thursday, Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), students demonstrated in front of the offices of deputy commissioner and superintendent of police (SP), Ploce thana (were the concerned ladies are in police custody )and the office of the Principal. the protesters demanded resignation of college principal RP Chopra.
Having no faith in HP police Protesting students later demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident to bring out the truth. “We don’t even have a fraction of trust on the state police and there should be a CBI probe into the incident,” said Rajat Singh, ABVP in-charge for Kangra and Chamba district.
Meanwhile, Kangra SP Kapil Sharma said while addressing the media in the afternoon, “ district police is working fear and fare and under no pressure of any one.”
Sharma said Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Shalini Agnihotri was supervising the on- going inquiry.Sharma said the police urged the media to report the matter on basis of verified facts.
“Besides, we are also considering about taking action against persons who are spreading rumors and posting unconfirmed facts on social media sites and messaging apps,” said Sharma.
The said incident apparently came to notice when the victim’s sister reported the matter to the college principal Rampal Chopra on Saturday . Chopra, however, said that though the woman had approached him, a written complaint was not filed by her. He also refuted students’ claims that the victim’s kin produced photographs of the victim to him.
Ex minister cum Senior BJP leader Kishan Kapoor demanded CBI inquiry on the mysterious ‘gang rape’ incident of Dharamsala
Ex minister cum Senior BJP leader Kishan Kapoor demanded CBI inquiry on the mysterious ‘gang rape’ incident, which allegedly took place within the Dharamshala Government College campus on Friday afternoon. The incident, however, hasn’t been confirmed and the victim, too, hasn’t been traced so far.How ever Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), students are staging protest and against the college and state authorities since Monday , pressing for a probe into the incident. Words about the incident had started making rounds in the hill-town on Saturday after a newly-married girl reportedly came to the office of college principal RP Chopra and lodged a complaint verbally that five youths on Friday afternoon had raped her sister, who was a student of the college.
She, however, disappeared when principal asked her to give a written complaint. Since then there is no trace of the complainant.
Kapoor said “We have no faith in HP police which has even failed to trace the 5 murder cases in Dharamsala constituency since the inception of Congress government in the state. The state police and administration is working under the pressure of Vir Bhadra Singh Ministers and trying to close such cases .” He alleged that the law and order condition in the state is totally miserable.
Kapoor said that if no result is visible till 24th May, the BJP shall launch statewide protest against congress government . Meanwhile, principal of the college admitted before the protesters that a girl had come to him but she complained only about molestation. He said the girl disappeared when he asked her to give the complaint in writing. The incident, however, remains a mystery as the whereabouts and the identity of the victim is still unknown.
Meanwhile, Kangra SP Kapil Sharma, said that the principal of the college gave a written application to the police seeking inquiry into the matter on May 18. Sharma said ,”the district police had already alerted all its agencies when the words started making round about the incident on Saturday. CCTV footage are being examined. Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Shalini Agnihotri is supervising the on- going inquiry.”
Sharma urged the media to report the concerned matter on basis of verified facts.“Besides, we are also considering about taking action against persons who are spreading rumors and posting unconfirmed facts on social media sites and messaging apps,” said Sharma.
Meanwhile supervising officer Shalini Agnihotri said “Anyone who wants to share information could contact us any time. We assure their security and secrecy.”
On a query whether the incident actually happened or was just a rumor, the women cop said “It is too early to comment on it.”
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
