Woman gang-raped in firing range area near Mhow in MP; search on for two men
Mhow (MP) (PTI): A 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped by two men in a firing range of the Army near Mhow in Madhya Pradesh's Indore district, a police official said on Wednesday.
The incident took place late afternoon on Tuesday at the Berchha field firing range, he said.
Based on a complaint lodged by the rape survivor, a case has been registered against two persons at the Badgonda police station. The accused duo is absconding and a search operation is underway to trace them, the official said.
Talking to PTI, Indore Rural Superintendent of Police (SP) Yangchen Dolkar Bhutia said, "We have registered a case and are investigating it from all angles. We have inspected the crime site and have searched for the probable routes using which the accused could have escaped. Till now, nothing concrete has been found in the case."
"As per the statement given by the victim, the accused were in the age group of 25 to 35. Since it is a deep forest area, no CCTV cameras are installed there," he said.
"We have activated our informers' network in the area and investigation is going on to ascertain the identities of the accused," the SP added.
Badgonda station house officer (SHO) Prakash Waskale said the Berchha field firing range belongs to the army, which deploys its personnel there only when firing practice is underway.
At present, firing is not scheduled to be held there, he said.
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Guv Gehlot clears bill paving way for Panchayat elections through ballots
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has given his assent to the Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj (Amendment) Act that will pave the way for holding the Panchayat elections through ballots instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).
Following the assent, the Act was notified in the state gazette on Wednesday.
The bill was passed by both houses of the Karnataka legislature in March during the budget session, amid protests by the opposition BJP.
As per the law, the principle of secrecy of the ballot is a cornerstone of free and fair elections, as recognised by the judiciary, which emphasised that the secrecy of the ballot protects voters from coercion, intimidation, and undue influence, thereby safeguarding the sanctity of the democratic process in several judgments of the Supreme Court.
Some concerns have been raised regarding the functioning of EVMs, necessitating a return to the robust secret ballot paper system to restore public trust, according to the Act.
Justifying its decision, the Karnataka government said there is “a growing consensus on the need to strengthen electoral mechanisms that prioritise anonymity and transparency”.
