Bengal woman retracts gangrape charge in court

Panaji: The 27-year-old woman who had said she was gangraped at Calangute in February, did a volte-face on Thursday when she told the Mapusa JMFC that no such incident had taken place with her. She also stated that she was of sound mental health and that her psychological instability had been treated by doctors at the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behavior (IPHB).
Late last month, Calangute police had booked six unidentified persons for gangraping the West Bengal native who was diagnosed with mental health issues. The action followed a counselling session at the IPHB to which she was referred after being hauled up by the Panaji police for creating a nuisance at the Kadamba bus terminus in the city. During the counselling session, she had told a doctor that she had been raped twice, by three persons each time, at Calangute. An FIR was registered based on the doctor’s statement.
“The survivor has now stated that nothing had happened to her and that she had been experiencing psychological instability which doctors at the IPHB have treated,” North Goa superintendent of police Nidhin Valsan said. “She says she is mentally fine and that no incident of the sort she alleged in the FIR (gangrape) had taken place with her.”
Valsan also said that the police have contacted the woman’s sister who confirmed that the 27-year-old had psychological issues. “As of now, the allegation of gangrape cannot be substantiated. In fact, during the course of investigation, we realised that there was no evidence to support the survivor’s statements,” he said.
Late last month, Calangute police had booked six unidentified persons for gangraping the West Bengal native who was diagnosed with mental health issues. The action followed a counselling session at the IPHB. During the counselling session, she had told a doctor that she had been raped twice, by three persons each time, at Calangute. An FIR was registered based on the doctor’s statement