Jat quota stir: Punjab and Haryana HC calls for independent probe into rape allegations

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday took cognizance of reports of alleged incidents of rape at Murthal in Haryana during the protests seeking OBC status for Jats in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2641462” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Members of the Jat community protest for caste-based resveration. Representational Photo. PTI[/caption] Justice NK Sanghi of the Punjab & Haryana  HC wrote to the acting Chief Justice for further proceedings. According to a report Hindustan Times, the judge criticised the police for advising the victims and their families to return home instead of reporting the matter. The judge also reportedly stated that court should not sit idle, and that an independent probe was required in this case. Meanwhile, The Tribune quoted a senior IPS officer as saying that reports of such incidents off are ‘rumours’. The officer also reportedly advised the media “to refrain from writing anything that could create tension in the society.” There were others who also denied the occurrence of the alleged incidents. “There were a few women who took shelter at a local dhaba in order to escape the violence, but there were no incidents of rapes around in here,” a source said. According to the report in The Tribune, as many as 10 women were said to have been sexually assaulted by goons near the Amrik Sukhdev Dhaba in Murthal on the National Highway 1. As many as 30 people allegedly pelted stones at vehicles headed towards the National Capital Region (NCR), with the most of the occupants of the vehicles fleeing for shelter. Several women were said to have been left behind in the vehicles, who were then dragged to the nearby fields, mercilessly raped and left in a nude condition. The Jat community is demanding reservations in government jobs and educational institutions. Political developments in the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) shifted to Delhi where all its Haryana MPs were called to meet Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu. Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and some other ministers and legislators are also camping in Delhi. With inputs from IANS