Is Haryana the new rape capital of India?

Chandigarh, Sept 29: A third incident of gangrape has been reported in

within a fortnight. The latest victim is a class 11 student who was gangraped by four men in Gohana near Sonepat in Haryana on Thursday, Sept 27. Police officials said the incident took place in broad day light in a busy market place. So far three accused have been arrested by police.

The latest incident comes close on the heels of two more horrific gangrape incidents from the state. First it was the gangrape of a 16-year-old girl in Dabra in Hisar, Haryana, which led to the girl's father committing suicide after he got no support from police and administration in nabbing the culprits.

Then a married woman was gangraped by three men in Haryana's Jind.

In spite of a nation wide protest by various rights groups, most of the culprits in all these cases are scot-free. Civil society members are pressing the government to deliver justice to the victims.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has been blamed for law and order problem in the state, where women are not safe.

Although Hooda has assured that culprits would be arrested and prosecuted for their crimes, but delay in delivering justice is causing a lot of anger among the people.

"We are trying our best to arrest the accused," said a senior police official.

But women's rights groups are not happy.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has asked Haryana government to conduct speedy trial in all the cases.

"Victims and their family should be provided justice at the earliest," said Nina Nayak, member of NCPCR.

In May 2012, a victim of gangrape committed suicide after saying on camera that she was frustrated by police inaction despite her saying she can recognise her rapists.

In Haryana, where women are known to be treated as "second-class" citizens, rise in rape incidents once again reflect large-scale discrimination of women in the state.

Moreover, Haryana is infamous for its skewed sex ratio, where boys hugely outnumber girls. Activists say due to skewed sex ratio, crime against women in the state is on the rise.

OneIndia News