12-year-old waylaid, raped at knife-point

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 16

A 12-year-old girl student of a government school in Sector 23 was allegedly waylaid and raped at knife-point by a middle-aged man, suspected to be a drug addict, at Children Traffic Park in Sector 23 on August 15.

The incident took place hardly 2 km from the Parade Ground where an Independence Day function was being held.

The incident was reported in the morning when the victim was crossing the park on her way to attend the Independence Day celebrations at her school.

Police sources said the accused, who was already in the park, saw the victim and pulled out a knife to threaten her. The suspect allegedly caught hold of her and dragged her into a nullah. The incident took place around 8.15 am.

The victim was allegedly raped at knife-point after which the accused fled from the spot. The victim returned home in Sector 24 and narrated the entire incident to her parents. Her parents then rushed to the spot along with the victim and informed the police around 8.45 am.

The entire top brass of the UT police that was present at the Parade Ground got information about the rape.

UT SSP Eish Singhal, along with DSPs and SHOs, rushed to the spot.

The victim’s statements were recorded and she was taken to Government Multi-Specialty Hospital in Sector 16 for a medical examination.

Close to 100 police personnel reached the spot and started a search operation in and around the park. The police also patrolled the nearby area. A team of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) was called to the spot.

No entry was allowed inside the park for around six hours by the police.

Later in the evening, a case was registered at the Sector 17 police station. Several suspects were rounded up for questioning after the incident.

32 suspects questioned

Around 32 suspects have been questioned by the police. The police are also questioning miscreants who are residents of Sectors 23 and 24.

31 cases of rape registered this year

The incident that took place close to Sector 17, a highly secured area, has raised questions over the safety of women in the city. Already 31 cases of rape have been registered in the city this year.

ABVP holds protest

Supporters of the ABVP, who were nowhere to be seen during protests held in the city in connection with the Varnika Kundu stalking case, involving the son of the Haryana BJP president, staged a protest outside the main gate of the Sector 17 police station.

The protesters, who were demanding the arrest of the accused, did not let the vehicle of DSP (Cyber Cell) Rashmi Yadav leave the police station after which, the DSP walked down the road.

The 15-minute protest ended after DSP (Central) Ram Gopal arrived and took a memorandum from the protesters.

My heart goes out to the little girl: Varnika

Varnika Kundu (29), who was allegedly stalked by two youths, including Vikas Barala, son of the Haryana BJP president, posted a comment on Facebook following the rape incident. Varnika wrote, “My heart goes out to this little girl. Our Independence as a nation might be 70 years old, but as long as such things happen here, can we really call ourselves civilised?”

Timeline

• 8.15 am: Victim raped at Children Traffic Park, Sector 23
• 8.30 am: Victim reaches home, narrates incident to parents 
• 8.45 am: Police informed about the incident, rush to the spot (Approximate time)