Teen allegedly raped in Kanpur; local journalist held, cop's role under scanner
Kanpur (UP)(PTI): A local journalist has been taken into custody and a police constable's role is also under investigation in connection with the alleged abduction and gang rape of a 14-year-old girl in Kanpur's Sachendi area, officials said on Wednesday amid allegations of police apathy by the victim's family
According to the complaint, the minor, a class 7 dropout, had stepped out of her home around 10 pm on Monday night when she was allegedly abducted by two men travelling in an SUV. One of the accused was wearing a police uniform.
The girl told the police that she was taken to a deserted location near a railway track in Sachendi, where she was allegedly sexually assaulted inside the vehicle for nearly two hours. She was later abandoned in an unconscious state outside her house, they said.
The victim's brother said he found her lying outside the house around midnight in a semi-conscious condition, according to the complaint. He said he immediately alerted the police by dialling 112, but alleged that no prompt action was taken.
The family later approached senior officials on Tuesday, following which an FIR was registered under sections related to kidnapping and gang rape.
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The girl's brother alleged that when the family informed the police personnel that one of the accused was a policeman, they were turned away from a local police outpost.
Only after approaching senior officers was the case registered, he claimed, adding that the names of the accused were initially omitted from the complaint.
The police said that efforts are on to identify and arrest the police constable, and stressed that the investigation is being conducted with complete transparency.
The victim has undergone a medical examination and the report is awaited, Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Dinesh Tripathi said.
"An FIR was initially registered against unknown persons under sections related to abduction and gang rape apart from under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act," Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Dinesh Tripathi told PTI.
Initially, the case was registered on the basis of the complaint against two unidentified accused persons, he said.
"During the investigation, the involvement of a police constable and a local journalist identified as Shivbaran came to light. The journalist has been taken into custody and is currently being questioned," he said.
"His arrest will be made after the interrogation is completed," the DCP said, adding efforts are on to identify and arrest the police constable involved in the case.
"All necessary steps are being taken, and the investigation is being conducted with complete transparency," Tripathi said.
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Nine dead as fire breaks out in residential building in east Delhi
New Delhi (PTI): A fire broke out in a residential building in east Delhi's Vivek Vihar early Sunday, leaving nine people belonging to two families dead, including a toddler, officials said.
The incident was reported around 3.48 am at a four-storey building in Vivek Vihar Phase-I, following which police, fire and disaster management teams rushed to the spot.
According to the police, the blaze engulfed flats on the second, third and fourth floors of the building, prompting a large-scale rescue operation.The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
The Delhi Fire Service (DFS) said nine charred bodies were recovered from different floors.
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"One body was recovered from the first floor, five from the second floor and three from the staircase which was found locked," the DFS officer said.
Those found dead on the second floor have been identified as Arvind Jain (60), his wife Anita Jain (58), son Nishant Jain (35), daughter-in-law Anchal Jain (33) and grandchild Akash Jain.
On the third floor, three members of a family were found dead. They were identified as Nitin Jain (50), wife Shailey Jain (48) and son Samyak Jain (25).
On the first floor a woman identified as Shikha Jain (45) was found dead while her husband Naveen Jain (48) sustained injuries.
A senior police officer said, "Around 10 to 15 people were rescued from the premises during the firefighting operation. Two of them, who sustained minor injuries, were shifted to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital."
A total of 12 fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, while teams from the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), traffic police and local police assisted in the rescue and evacuation efforts.
Police said the fire was brought under control after several hours. Efforts are underway to determine the cause of the fire, police said.
Further investigation and proceedings are underway.
