Two constables accused in rape-murder of Dalit woman in Rajasthan suspended

The woman’s body was found Tuesday in a deserted spot. On Wednesday, her relatives continued their protest, demanding the arrest of the accused and Rs 1 crore as compensation for the family. Following talks with the district administration, the family agreed to an autopsy in the evening.

As per the FIR, the victim would go to a coaching class every morning. “For the last 10-15 days, (the main accused) Dinesh Bishnoi was stalking her. Even after being told not to, he did not stop stalking her,” stated the father in the FIR.

According to the FIR, as the woman left for coaching class Tuesday morning, Dinesh, along with the two accused constables, Bhagirath and Manoj, allegedly took her to a room and raped her.

Her father alleged that apart from the three, there were “two-three others who raped my daughter and murdered her”.

Based on his complaint, an FIR was lodged under IPC Sections 376D (gang-rape) and 302 (murder) as well as Sections of the SC/ST Act against the accused.

Bikaner Superintendent of Police Tejaswani Gautam said both constables have been suspended. “The woman was found in an unconscious state and was taken to a hospital where the doctors declared her dead. There was bleeding on her private parts too. Considering the sensitivity of the situation, the Additional SP and I reached the spot. The forensic lab and the mobile investigation unit also inspected the place of incident,” the SP said.

The inquiry into the case has been handed over to Bikaner Rural Additional SP Deepak Kumar.

Besides the arrest of the accused and compensation, the family had made ten demands before the district administration. These include investigation of the case by the Special Operations Group (SOG) and a government job to the victim’s kin.

SP Gautam told The Indian Express: “The family was demanding a fair investigation, so the Inspector General himself came and assured them. They were also demanding a government job for kin and compensation, which will be given as per norms.”

Officials said the family will be given Rs 8.5 lakh compensation for murder under the SC/ST Act, of which half will be given after the autopsy and the remainder after filing of the chargesheet. “The rest of their proposals will be forwarded to the government so they will take a call on it,” the SP said.

Meanwhile, the BJP protested over the matter. The party’s state president C P Joshi said: “The guilty should be arrested at the earliest. It is a failure of the government and the state government should take serious measures to control such crimes.”