Caught on CCTV, rape accused surrenders; had tried to broker compromise

Caught on CCTV, rape accused surrenders

Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Malout, April 23

A youth who allegedly abducted and raped a Dalit girl of his native Kandukhera village on March 25 surrendered before a local court on Friday. The accused, Jagdeep Singh (25), has been remanded in police custody for three days.

According to the FIR lodged at the Malout city police station, the 22-year-old victim was dragged by Jagdeep and another person into a Skoda car from outside the computer centre, which was also captured in a CCTV camera. She was allegedly taken to a house at Tappa Khera village and sexually assaulted there. Later, the accused dropped her at Malout.

A case under Sections 341, 342, 363, 366, 376, 34 of the IPC and 3, 4 of the SC/ST Act was registered against Jagdeep and an unidentified person on March 30.

Manwinderbir Singh, DSP, Malout, said, “Jagdeep is in our custody. He has named his accomplice as Sandeep Singh of Tappa Khera, who is yet to be arrested. The victim was taken to Sandeep’s house.”

After a news report titled “Despite footage, rape accused still at large” appeared in The Tribune on April 20, the state police directed the SP, Malout, Balraj Singh, to personally supervise the investigations.

The National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the Punjab State Scheduled Caste Commission had also sought a report from the district police over the delay in arresting the accused.

Had tried to broker compromise

The victim’s family members alleged that the accused was an associate of a “mighty” politician of the Lambi area and had offered them Rs 20 lakh to reach a compromise a few days ago. The victim has left her house and is now staying at her relative’s house in Muktsar.

Courtesy: The Tribune