Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Thursday conceded lapses by his department in handling the gang rape of a minor in Sringeri and announced action against erring officials. He said he would consider it his moral responsibility to ensure the “perpetrators of the heinous crime are sent to the gallows”.
Mr. Bommai announced the suspension of Station House Officer (SHO) of Sringeri police station, who allegedly delayed filing of the FIR for two days after the incident came to light. He also announced a probe by the zonal IGP into alleged lapses in the Home Department. “No one found conniving will be spared,” he said. The government would probe lapses by the Labour Department, since the survivor is a child labourer working at a stone crusher. He also announced that the government would take care of the girl, provide her security, rehabilitate her, and also give her a government job when she turns a major.
“The case has affected me personally. I was in a dilemma as to what was my moral responsibility, to resign or to ensure stringent action against the accused. I have chosen the latter. I will resign if I am not able to do it,” he said.
The Council took up a debate on the issue under Rule 68, which saw members cutting across party lines condemning the crime. Leader of the Opposition S.R. Patil and senior member B.K. Hariprasad drew attention to some of the accused being members of organisations linked to the Sangh Parivar, including the BJP. A word Mr. Hariprasad used to indicate the Sangh Parivar caused commotion and was later expunged. Senior BJP member Ayanur Manjunath said there was no question of defending the accused and it would be wrong to associate an organisation for the heinous offence of an individual. All the three women members of the House also spoke and condemned the crime.
Mr. Patil listed out lapses of various government departments in the case. He pointed out that the survivor, a 15-year-old girl, was employed in a stone crusher which amounts to child labour. “The girl has said she was abused over five months by nearly 35 to 40 men, of whom she has named 17. Not even all 17 men have been arrested yet,” he said. He added there was a delay of two days in registering the FIR in the case.
Mr. Manjunath demanded that there be a cases against the crusher owner for employing child labour and for his complicity in the crime, since it seems to have happened at the worksite. The girl’s aunt, he said, has now emerged to have facilitated the accused.
