NCW Seeks Immediate Action In Tihar Inmate Rape Case

The National Commission for Women has sought swift action and a detailed report from the Delhi Police in the rape case of a female Tihar Jail inmate by a police constable. NCW has taken Suo Motu cognizance in the case and said in a statement, “The commission is anguished and has taken Suo-Motu cognizance of the matter. The commission has urged the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to take immediate action in this regard and submit a detailed investigation report to the commission.”

As per the media reports, a police constable, responsible for escorting the 42-year-old prisoner to West Bengal via train for a hearing in Murshidabad earlier this month, allegedly raped her in the toilet of the moving train. The New Delhi Railway Station police station has filed a complaint in the rape case on Monday. On August 3, the prisoner was returning to Delhi along with five security personnel with the 3rd Battalion of the Delhi Police by Nandan Kanan Express when the alleged rape happened. Of the five police personnel, two were male constables, two were female constables and the fifth was the head constable.

The complainant told the doctor in New Delhi’s Tihar Jail about the rape a day after the incident on Sunday afternoon. She told the police in her statement that on Saturday night during the journey, she felt the urge to use the washroom. While she was escorted to the lavatory by the two policewomen, the male constable, who was in charge of the escort team, asked the two to return to their seats and offered to guard. This is when he forced himself in and raped her.

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After the doctor got to know about it, the prisoner was sent to a government hospital in west Delhi for a medical examination that confirmed rape, a Tihar jail spokesperson said. A senior official said that a case of rape and criminal intimidation has been registered against the constable under Section 376 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, respectively. “We have started a probe,” he added, HT reported.

The inmate has been in Tihar Jail facing charges in two cases of kidnapping. It was for one of these cases’ hearing that she had gone to West Bengal.

She told the police in her statement that on Saturday night during the journey, she felt the urge to use the washroom. While she was escorted to the lavatory by the two policewomen, the male constable, who was in charge of the escort team, asked the two to return to their seats and offered to guard. This is when he forced himself in and raped her.

In a matter of a few weeks, two cases of sexual crimes against women by the constables of Delhi Police have been registered. In July, a 14-year-old girl had complained that she was allegedly raped by a Delhi Police head constable in the national capital's Mundka area. She said in her statement to the police that she was alone at home with the accused when the incident took place. The accused has been charged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Delhi Police has nabbed him and the case is under investigation.

This adds to 1,185 rape cases registered in the capital city between January 1 and July 15. In 2018, the city registered a total of 2,135 rape cases which makes up to six cases every day.

The case of the woman prison came to light on the same day another woman complained that she was allegedly drugged and molested by the Travelling Ticket Checker (TTC) and a member of the pantry staff on Delhi-Ranchi Rajdhani Express. The Divisional Railway in Ranchi has ordered a departmental inquiry into the complaint.

Picture credit- Hindustan Times