The chief minister said that directions to register every FIR have been given to officials
Ashok Gehlot
Facing flak over the Alwar gang-rape case, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot Monday said his government will take steps to improve the functioning and efficiency of the police so it becomes a model for the country.
A new post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (women-safety) is being created in districts for monitoring cases of crime against women, Gehlot said at a press conference.
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He said several actions were taken when the Alwar gang-rape case was brought to light and new changes in the system were being made so that the complainant is heard and her grievance redressed.
"We want that if a complainant goes to the police station, she is heard and well treated. If the complaint is not lodged at the police station then it has to be registered at the SP office," he said.
Besides, he said, Superintendent of Police (SPs) and Inspector-General of Police (IGs) will forward confidential reports about their subordinates to the government and the chief minister will do a review once in every four months.
The chief minister said that directions to register every FIR have been given to officials. Action against the Station House Officer (SHO) concerned will be taken if the police failed to register a case.
He said that due to the directions of registering all the FIRs, there will be a spurt in the number of cases lodged in the state and the BJP might allege that the crime in the Congress rule has increased.
"Whereas, our effort is that all victims get justice," the CM said. The opposition has been attacking the Rajasthan government for allegedly covering up the matter due to the ongoing Lok Sabha polls.
The chief minister alleged that the number of rape cases increased in the state during the BJP rule but the former government took no serious action to curb the crime.
"3,305 rape cases were lodged in 2017 which increased to 4,335 in 2018 in the state. It means that nine rape incidents happened everyday in 2017 and it increased to 12 per day in 2018," Gehlot told reporters.
He also said that a woman was raped in front of her husband and her father-in-law near Chitrakoot police station in Jaipur when the BJP was in power, but no action was taken by the former government.
"No BJP leader went to the victim and no police officer was removed at that time but when there are elections now, the BJP is politicising the incident. They are anti-Dalit," he said.
The gang-rape evoked sharp criticism from all sections of the society, with political parties and local residents holding protests in various parts of the state.
On April 26, the woman was going to a place from her village on a motorcycle with her husband when the accused, who were on two bikes, stopped them on Thanagazi-Alwar bypass and took them to an isolated place off the road.
They beat the husband and raped her in front of him, threatening them of dire consequences.
One accused filmed the incident in his mobile phone. The victims went to the police when the accused demanded money for not circulating the video on social media, but the FIR was lodged on May 2.
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