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Dabra gang rape victim withdraws into a shell
One of the Dabra gang rape accused in police custody. A Tribune photograph |
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The fight for justice to continue: Mother
Family anxious about rape victim’s future
Finally, police books rape accused
Cong attaching price tag to women’s modesty: Chautala
Brahmin sabha plans campaign
Hisar bank manager gets ransom note
IAC men show black flags
to Hooda in Hisar
Chautala exhorts party workers to get ready for mid-term poll
Sincere efforts needed to improve Indo-Pak ties: Burney
Villagers welcome Pakistan human rights activist Ansar Burney on reaching Laadpur village in Jhajjar on Sunday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka
Denial of Info to RTI Activist
Prayers offered for
Malala’s recovery
Khemka says transfer a penalty for exposing scams
Transfer policy for teachers
Two held for extortion
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It’s a blot on the face of Haryana — the shame of at least 20 rapes — in the last 35 days. The Tribune team visited four such families where the rape of minors has brought unending trauma. Most of these families desperately struggle to put it all behind them. Eking out an existence is the big question for them
Bijauli (Yamunanagar), October 14 Hailing from a minority community, the girl was kidnapped and then repeatedly raped by her paternal uncle and his friend on the intervening night of October 1 and 2. After committing the crime, the two left the girl in a field of Padauli village, around 20-km from here. The victim, somehow, managed to reach her house with the help of villagers and narrated the incident to her parents. The police arrested Kaku and her uncle Shaukat, both in their early twenties. Before the matter was reported to the police, it was taken up by the village panchayat where the two admitted to the crime. Speaking to The Tribune, the victim’s father said Shaukat planned the crime as there was a dispute between the two families over a piece of land adjoining their houses at the village. “I will not allow anyone who assaulted my daughter to walk away easily,” he added. Nausheer Ali, a neighbour of the family, said the boys’ families were asking the girl’s father to reach a compromise as they were ready to pay enough money which could help him furnish his partially built house and even marry the girl off. The victim’s father said now he feared that marrying the girl off would not be that easy. “The society has never been kind to rape victims and I am afraid that my daughter, who has already suffered so much, will face another ordeal when she reaches the age of marriage,” he said. The girl’s mother said the families of the accused were mounting a lot of pressure on them to reach a compromise. “Now, there is no question of reaching a compromise,” she said, adding: “The girl has become quiet and struggling within. How can I let assaulters go scot free so easily?” District police chief Mitesh Jain said the police was treating the case with utmost sensitivity. |
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Dabra gang rape victim withdraws into a shell
Hisar, October 14 The gang rape came as a double blow to the family. Nine days after she was raped, her father committed suicide in desperation. “Life has changed. The only breadwinner in the family has died. My daughter has been scarred for life. We live in fear and shame. The world has tuned upside down,” rues the victim’s mother. The ramshackle house is guarded by the police round the clock. The number of officials of various commissions and leaders of political parties that came calling after the incident hit the headlines has come down substantially. The villagers, who remained in attendance till the victim’s father’s last rites, are no longer to be seen there. “Yes, we have received financial help from government agencies. But that is hardly any compensation. My son was promised a government job, but, so far they are offering only a temporary job. He needs to be employed so we can at least two square meals a day,” said the mother. She said she would prefer to move the family out of the village because her daughter is not prepared to come out of the house for both fear and shame. “And she is not wrong. Who will stop street urchins and unruly youth of the village from taunting her? But who listens?” she added. The fellow villagers have all the sympathy for the victim and the family. But only outwardly. Visiting news persons are offered appropriate sound bites describing the incident variously as a shame on the village and how it had failed to spoil the bhaichara (brotherhood) in the village. But you move away from the vicinity of the victim’s house and you hear altogether different comments, at times sarcastic. Sample this: “This lowly girl has brought shame to the village. Or, she was caught in the act, so she termed it a rape.” So much for sympathies for the family whose daughter was raped resulting in the death of her father! Hearing this, one tends to agree with the victim’s mother that the family needs to be moved out of this village. The family is feeling relieved that there is no pressure on them now to change their statements to help the accused. Asked whether she could agree to a compromise, the mother said, “Earlier, we were being threatened. But, now the pressure is on the other side. Temporarily, we are relieved.” However, she said, the real test would come after the trial starts. It is then that she expects the families of the accused to try and force her daughter to change her statement. “We are poor. What can we do? It all depends on the government. If it wants justice done, we will get. If it doesn’t, it won’t happen,” she added with a touch of resignation. Amidst this gloomy atmosphere, there is a ray of hope. Most women, including the young girls of the village, are throwing their weight behind the family. The first accused in the case was arrested after a girl from the village saw him travelling in a bus she was in. She informed the sarpanch who told the police.
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The fight for justice to continue: Mother
Rohtak, October 14
Located in a semi-developed residential colony here on Ladaut road, the victim’s small dwelling unit with just one room and a verandah houses six members of this family, which depends only on the earnings of the head of the family, a mechanic at an automobile shop. ‘’I don’t go out for work since the fateful day of October 3’’, said the victim’s 35-year-ld mother, who used to work as a labourer to support the family. All members of the family were away to work that day when her daughter, a student of sixth standard, was raped by her neighbour after she returned from school. Though her daughter feared being alone, she had started going to school. ‘’I accompany her to the school and back and try not leave her or her elder sister alone.’’ she added. The couple has four children, two boys and two girls, including the victim. The victim’s anguished mother says though the financial condition of the family was weak, the fight for justice to ensure strictest punishment to the accused would go on. ‘Our main concern is that I have left my work and my husband is unable to earn more than Rs 150 per day, which is inadequate to feed six members,” the demoralised mother said. The police arrested the accused- Parkash(42) — on the same day and he has been in judicial remand at present. Mr Vivek Sharma, SSP , Rohtak, said the police would not spare any effort to bring the rape culprit to justice
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Family anxious about rape victim’s future
Sonepat, October 14 However, what happened to her on September 27 shattered her faith and left her with a bruised psyche. The girl was allegedly raped by four youths at a grocery store where she had gone to purchase something. The youths also allegedly threatened her with dire consequences in case she disclosed the matter to anybody. The girl’s father has lost her father and lives with her mother and two elder brothers. Her paternal uncle has been looking after the family after her father’s death . The girl told her mother about the torture she had been subjected to. On the next day, the girl’s uncle reported the matter to the police. All four youths named in the FIR — Harish, Amit, Deepak and Raman — have been arrested and lodged in jail under judicial custody. If their crime is proved in a court of law, they may be imprisoned for some years. The punishment awarded to them may act as a deterrent to the other youths nurturing similar evil intentions. But any course of justice will not be able to bring the the rape victim’s derailed life back on the normal course. The pain inflicted on her may have subsided with medication, but the agony and trauma she underwent that day will continue to haunt her for a long time. Worry is writ large on the faces of her family members who are anxious about her well-being and future. They are reluctant to talk about the matter, more so with mediapersons. However, some members of the clan concede that their immediate concern is to prevent the child from slipping into a negative mindset which may prompt her to take any untoward action. Her future life, marriage and career are also their primary concerns. The girl has stopped going to school ever since the horrific episode and needs persistent support, care and affection from her family, friends, teachers and society to move on in life. |
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Finally, police books rape accused
Sirsa, October 14 The police said the In her complaint, given to the police on October 9, the girl had alleged that the accused, who had promised to marry her, took her for an outing in the town on September 25 and kidnapped her after offering her a drink laced with intoxicant. She had alleged that the youth raped her for several days at some unknown destinations and then dropped her near the bus stand in Sirsa on October 9. Since then, the girl and her mother had been knocking every possible door in Sirsa to register an FIR on her complaint, but the Sirsa police did not find the allegations sufficient to register an FIR or simply get her medically examined for the past six days. The police, however, swung into action after a news item “Raped girl says police refusing FIR” was published in The Tribune today and registered a case on her complaint. In another case of gang rape in Sirsa on July 20 this year, the police yesterday arrested an accused Kuldeep, a resident of Kelania. Some youths had allegedly kidnapped a woman from the Town Park of Sirsa on July 20 and after her gang rape, they had left her in the town in unconscious condition. The police has recovered the body of a woman from the Sirsa Major Canal here today. The police believes that the victim must have been thrown into canal after murder.
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Cong attaching price tag to women’s modesty: Chautala
Gurgaon, October 14 Chautala, who was here to attend a seminar organised by INLD’s women wing, criticised the administration’s move to hand out compensation to six-year-old gang rape victim “Rather than getting the accused punished for their crimes, they are out estimating the price of a women’s modesty and her life. It’s shocking that the administration has priced six-year-old’s childhood and her life at Rs 1 lakh and monthly donation of Rs 1,000”, he said. On being questioned about he reportedly agreeing to the Khaps’ suggestion for lowering the official marriagable age for girls, Chautala maintained that he had been misquoted. The INLD will hold a state-level women’s rally on November 1. 33% seats for women Having woken up to women power, Chautla said the party would give 33 per cent of the INLD tickets to women candidates in the forthcoming state legislature elections
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Kurukshetra October 14 In another unanimous resolution, the sabha decided that harsh punishment should be given to those found guilty of committing immoral crimes against women. The sabha condemned the increasing incidents of crime against women in the state. Sabha president Surender Dwivedi said memorandums in this regard would be submitted to the Chief Minister, women’s commission and the district administration. — OC
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Hisar bank manager gets ransom note
Hisar, October 14 The note was recovered when the shutter of the building was opened. It had been slipped inside from under the shutter. The note mentioned three names — all residents of
the village — as senders. The manager immediately lodged a complaint with
the police. The police rounded up the three villagers, but initial investigation pointed to the fact that these names had been given to harass them. |
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IAC men show black flags
to Hooda in Hisar
Hisar, October 14 The IAC activists were present among the audience. After the Chief Minister arrived on the stage, these youths started shouting slogans and waiving black flags. Their surprise protest left the police and the organisers aghast as they had not anticipated any protest. The IAC activists waived black flags thrice during the function. When the Chief Minister was leaving the venue after the function, IAC men again showed black flags. The activists were rounded up and taken out of the pandal. An IAC spokesman Arun Aggarwal said 14 volunteers were taken into custody. Three teenaged girls and a boy were also rounded up for raising slogans like “brashtacahr mitana hai, desh ko bachana hai”. They were also IAC volunteers. The IAC volunteers had also brought eggs to hurl at the Chief Minister. However, they could not do so as a Hindu Mahasabha activist snatched the eggs from them. Another woman created commotion at the function when she stood up and began crying loudly. She wanted the Chief Minister’s interventionj to get her power bill corrected. A senior police had to intervene to calm her down. Addressing the audience, Hooda said an important road and the local General Hospital would be named after Maharaja Aggarsen. He said he had already accepted most of the demands of the Aggarwal community and if some were left he would be happy to accept those too. Hooda lauded the entrepreneurship of the community, saying that the community members had contributed a lot to the economic development of the country. Paying tributes to Maharaja Aggarsen, the Chief Minister said he had shown the world how a community could help fellow community members to settle down in life by enunciating the principle of one rupee and one brick to be given to any new resident of Agroha, which was the capital of his kingdom. Earlier, Hooda inaugurated new buildings of Haryana School of Business and Bio and Nano-Technology Centre at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology |
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Chautala exhorts party workers to get ready for mid-term poll
Faridabad, October 14 Addressing a “parivartan” rally of his party here, Chautala said the Congress-led UPA Government was “crumbling” under its own contradictions, corruption on the part of its functionaries, and faulty policies. He urged the party workers to agitate on issue relating to the public. He said people were seething with frustration and anger against the Union Government for its anti-people policies. He cited, among others, spiralling prices of commodities, anti-farmer policies, cap on number of subsidised LPG cylinders and overall increase in fuel prices. Chautala said people in the country had decided to bring a change in the government by rejecting the Congress. “The change will start from Haryana,” he added. In an apparent bid to mollify the public for possible lapses on the part of his party and its functionaries when they were in power, he said: “We are introspecting to rectify the mistakes, if any”. Criticising the Centre for its decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment in retail, he said the entry of economic giants from foreign countries in the retail sector would jeopardise the security of the nation, besides adversely affecting small retailers who contribute 85 per cent of the retail trade. He alleged subsidies on fertislisers meant for farmers were cornered by private firms due to wrong policies of the government.
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Sincere efforts needed to improve Indo-Pak ties: Burney
Laadpur (Jhajjar), Oct 14 He stated this while addressing a gathering during ‘International Sadhbhavna Samaroh’ organised by the Gulia Khap in collaboration with Sailor Relief Fund, an NGO, here today to felicitate human and civil rights activists from Pakistan for their significant contributions in social sector at the global level. Haryana Education Minister Geeta Bhukkal, Rohtak MP Deepender Singh Hooda and National Commission for Scheduled Castes vice-chairman Raj Kumar Verka were also present on the occasion, who appreciated the efforts taken by the Gulia Khap to spread the message of brotherhood and peace among people of both the nations by organising the function. “Petty politics being played by a few politicians in India and Pakistan to get political mileage for fulfilling their vested interests has drawn a line of hate and abhorrence between the two brothers (India and Pakistan),” Burney said, adding that people of both the nations not only wish peace but also want to come close to each other, but dirty politics of both the nations was playing a spoilsport. “In Pakistan, people call me an “Indian agent” for extending help to several Indians in getting justice or bailing them out of crisis. I feel pain when I face lot of difficulties in getting visa for India. Every time I have to approach the higher authorities to get visa for India. But, I always feel better after coming and interacting with people here,” he said he, adding: “A strong political will is needed from both the sides to improve the relations between the two nations.” Burney maintained that several social and human right activists from India and Pakistan had sincerely been working in the direction of restoring brotherhood, harmony and congenial atmosphere between both the nations. “I am fully confident that we will succeed in our mission one day and doors of peace will open from both the sides,” he added. Expressing confidence about release of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh from Pakistan jail soon, Burney said, “We have filed an appeal with the President of Pakistan for granting mercy to Sarabjit Singh and I believe the President will definitely help us by considering the appeal."
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Denial of Info to RTI Activist
Karnal, October 14 In a landmark judgment, the Karnal consumer court has directed the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC) to pay compensation to an applicant for not providing the desired information within the stipulated period of 30 days under the RTI Act, 2005. In his order, president of the consumer court MM Sharma said as the applicant had paid the required fee of Rs 50 with application, he becomes a consumer and entitled to compensation. He found the PIO guilty of not providing the data regarding under which a record of recruitment of inspectors was destroyed by the department and directed him to pay Rs 20,000 to the applicant as fine for causing mental agony and harassment caused to him and Rs 5,000 as legal expenses incurred in the case. Advocate Rajesh Sharma had sought information regarding the recruitment of inspectors through an advertisement number 15/2007 category 25 from the HSSC, but the information was denied on the pretext that the record had been burnt. On April 29, 2009, Sharma sought information and certified copy of rule and regulation and process followed by the HSSC for destroying the relevant examination record, including answer sheets, procedure and time limit for destruction of the record and names of the officials who gave the consent for the said act. But the information was not provided and the HSSC said the records had been burnt as per the decision of the Supreme Court. A complaint was filed with the first appellate authority and the Information Commissioner but all in vein. On July 21, 2010, Sharma went to the consumer court and pleaded that as the required fee of Rs 50 had been deposited along with the application, he becomes consumer in the said case and has been denied information.
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Prayers offered for
Malala’s recovery
Sonepat, October 14 After the prayers, madarsa principal Mohammad Imran Nadvi said the attack on Malala was an act of shame. Islam was not against the teaching of girls and the Pakistan Government should ensure that such incidents did not recur, he said. Similar prayers were being organised the world over, including Pakistan. He said the girl was still being threatened with dire consequences by those elements. The Pakistan Government should build an atmosphere where girls were not deprived of education. |
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Khemka says transfer a penalty for exposing scams
Chandigarh, October 14 Khemka’s charges are set to bring more embarrassment to the Hooda government which is already on the back foot over the land deal between realty giant DLF and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law , Robert Vadra, exposed by activist-turned-politician Arvind Kejriwal. Khemka has now been posted as the managing director of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation, a post which was held by a much junior officer as additional charge. Official sources, however, claim that the transfer was an administrative decision and it was the prerogative of the state government to post any officer anywhere in the state. "Forest and hill areas were sought to be partitioned under the garb of consolidation to corner prime plots near highways to build farmhouses or resorts. There is another game of transferring possessory rights on panchayat lands in an unauthorised way.” This is not for the first time that Khemka has been given the marching orders. In July this year, he was shown the door from Haryana State Electronics Development Corporation (HARTRON) in less than two months after he detected irregularies, including engagement of three advisers at a hefty sum of Rs 90 lakh per annum.
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Transfer policy for teachers
Chandigarh, October 14 A spokesman said application forms for individual and mutual appointment by transfer would be available on website
www.harprathmik.gov.in. He said the applications should reach the district elementary education officers concerned by November 15.
—TNS |
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Two held for extortion
Sonepat, October 14 Their third brother, Joginder, who is also the chairman of the Rai block samiti is absconding. The accused had made demand of Rs 1 crore from Somveer in the name of the police to take out his name from the police investigation in a murder case. A police spokesman said in a complaint to the police, Somveer stated that his motorcycle was taken by Yogesh and it was returned by him next day. However, he came to know through the police that this motorcycle was alleged used by Yogesh in the murder of Devender of Fazilpur village on August 10. Jasbir of Fazilpur and some others were also allegedly involved in the murder. The police investigation scared him and his family members. Somveer’s wife along with her mother met Joginder and urged him to help them in police investigation. Joginder assured them for every help in the case and demanded Rs 1 crore. Somveer further submitted in the complaint that he had so far made the payment of Rs 33 lakh in many installments to the alleged accused by selling gold ornaments and taking loans from the bank and private persons. Even then, the alleged accused continued to mount pressure on him for more payment and also threatened with serious consequences. On his complaint, a case was registered against the accused and the police has arrested two of them. The police has also deputed three teams to nab the absconding Joginder.
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It’s a blot on the face of Haryana — the shame of at least 20 rapes — in the last 35 days. The Tribune team visited four such families where the rape of minors has brought unending trauma. Most of these families desperately struggle to put it all behind them. Eking out an existence is the big question for them 
The father of 16-year-old rape victim at Bijouli village in Yamunanagar district has decided not to let anything come in the way of justice.
Hailing from a minority community, the girl was kidnapped and then repeatedly raped by her paternal uncle and his friend on the intervening night of October 1 and 2.
More than a month after a minor Dalit girl was gangraped in Dabra village near here, a pall of gloom envelopes the victim’s home. The victim has not moved out of her house
since.
Yet again highlighting the state government’s alleged failure in preventing rape incidents, former Chief Minister OP Chautla bashed Hooda Government for reportedly covering up police’s incompetence with compensation.
Hisar, October 14
Holding certain political leaders of both India and Pakistan responsible for creating “unfriendly” and “tensed” atmosphere between the two nations to serve their vested interests, Ansar Burney, former Pakistan Federal Minister for Human Rights and adviser to the United Nations Human Rights Council, said sincere efforts should be made at the political level to improve relations between the two nations.
Haryana’s whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who reportedly blew the lid off shady land deals in the garb of consolidation, has been shifted again.
Khemka, who was Director-General, Consolidation of Holdings and Land Records, has protested his transfer by shooting off a letter to the Chief Secretary, claiming that "this is deliberate and mala fide to punish me due to some vested elements in the political-bureaucratic hierarchy affected by the expose of the scams in the consolidation of landholdings under the garb of exercise of powers.”
