‘Gang-rape survivor helped us nab assaulters’

Ludhiana: As the survivor in the Ludhiana gang-rape case showed courage and provided vital leads, she made it easier for Ludhiana Rural police to crack the case. An investigator in the team that cracked the case said that apart from showing courage and being resolute in getting punishment for the accused, she told police minute details of the incident that helped them crack the case.
On 9 February, a group of miscreants had allegedly gang-raped a 20-year-old student after holding her and her friend hostage, as they had gone to Issewal to celebrate Chocolate Day. Police had booked 10 unidentified accused in the case, and have already arrested six accused, including Jagroop Singh, a private vehicle driver of Jaspal Bangar; Ajay of Tibba, who belongs to Gonda (Uttar Pradesh), and works as a driver in a petrol pump; and four nomads (two from Ludhiana, one from Nawanshahar, and a minor from Jammu and Kashmir).

Deputy inspector general (DIG) of Ludhiana Range, Ranbir Singh Khatra, appreciated the girl’s courage. An investigator said that after undergoing such a shocking sexual assault, the survivor showed courage not just in getting the case registered, but also providing many vital clues. Citing specific inputs, he added that the survivor told the team about the fact that the name of one of the accused was Jagroop, and he was getting frequent calls from some family member (later found to be his wife) named ‘Pal’.

“After checking the names of wives ending with ‘Pal’ with husband’s name as Jagroop, we zeroed in on him after checking the voter list of Gill constituency. She also provided details about the accused, while we were getting their sketches made,” said the investigator. A senior police officer said they suspected more cases of sexual harassment might have occurred in the area, but due to social stigma, not many people would had come forward.

The survivor’s male friend, while talking to The Times of India, said it was clear from the beginning that the girl student would get the case registered against the accused. He added that she also fought the miscreants along with him, but could not do much, as they were outnumbered. “We had put in all our effort to fight them, but they were more in number,” he said. He had hit a bottle on the head of one of the miscreants, after which they fled from the spot.

‘Cops have been very nice’

The male friend of the gang-rape survivor said they stood by their statement that there were 10 accused involved in the incident, even as six accused were arrested by the police. He added that though the ASI — who was suspended for dereliction of duty — did face action, other police officers have been very nice with them.