Minor Trying To Help The Police Nab Her Rapists Gets Raped Again Because Of Their Botched Plans

An assistant police inspector of the Jalna police was suspended for dereliction of duty while handling the rape of a minor. The inspector had used the minor and her parents to trap the suspects but failed in the attempt to arrest them, which resulted in another rape attempt.

Tribune.PK

The Original Story

Jalna police said a minor girl had befriended a 20-year-old man, both from Jalna, about 15 days ago through a social networking site. The two soon exchanged their phone numbers and decided to meet at Nava Road near State Reserve Police Force area, a secluded spot, on July 7 around 8 pm.

While the two were interacting, a couple of men claiming to be cops arrived at the spot and allegedly tried to molest the minor and even snatched her mobile phone. She was saved after some passersby and a forest department person intervened, the police said.

The girl went back home and was parking her moped in the compound, when she realised that the men had followed her and were standing outside her house. The suspects then offered to return her mobile phone, but asked her to come with them to pick it up from the spot of their earlier encounter.

The girl agreed and went with the duo on their vehicle to the Nava Road, where she was allegedly gang-raped and even filmed using her cellphone. She returned home and confided in her parents. They approached the Jalna police and a case of gang-rape was lodged.

Cops Hatch A Plan

API Vinod Ejjapwar, who heads the anti-dacoity squad, contacted the family and took them in confidence for involving the survivor in the detection.

The suspects contacted the survivor's mother on July 8 using the numbers saved in the stolen mobile. They allegedly demanded Rs 2,000 to return the cell phone. The survivor's father accompanied her to meet them on the pretext of giving money but his attempt to catch them failed after the suspects did not turn up.

Bravado Proved Costly For The Victim

The family informed API Ejjapwar about the development, who pledged to accompany them the next time. The family again received a call on July 9 from the suspects demanding money. This time, the minor went without informing the police and she was allegedly raped for the second time.

On learning about the incident, Ejjapwar and his team tracked down the suspects using their mobile phones. Sanjay Rangnath Hawre, 24, and Nitin Salve, 20, were arrested from the railway station while they were trying to flee from Jalna. Both are residents of Rohanwadi in Jalna and have 22 cases registered against them.

Botched Investigation?

Terming the entire operation to be 'botched' one, top police brass has started personally monitoring the probe and suspended Ejjapwar for dereliction of duty. To compound their problems, the primary medical report of the victim does not indicate that she had been raped.

(Originally published in Times Of India)