De Min takes serious note of Bandipora incident

New Delhi, June 28 (UNI) Defence Minister AK Antony, taking serious note of the alleged rape attempt of Tuesday by two Rashtriya Rifles personnel in Bandipora district, has sought the facts in the matter before deciding action thereon, it was reliably learnt.

The Defence Minister today directed Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt to ''immediately ascertain the facts'' relating to the case in which the RR personnel were alleged to have attempted to rape a 17-year-old Gujjar girl at Pati Kunan, a Gujjar hamlet in Bandipora district of Jammu&Kashmir, two days ago.

The Army had already ordered a Court of Inquiry into the incident. In Srinagar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Srinagar-based XV Corps -- also known as 'Chinar Corps' -- Lt Gen AS Sekhon assured that the probe would be ''thorough and impartial''.

The alleged rape-attempt by the Army personnel -- identified as Major Joginder Singh and Naik Daljit Singh of the Military Intelligence unit of 57 RR -- had triggered violent protests in the area yesterday.

The soldiers were allegedly beaten up and paraded in public before being handed over to the police.

According to Defence Ministry sources here, Minister Antony was of the firm view that human rights violation would not be tolerated.

''In case somebody has done a wrong, we will not condone it,'' he is learnt to have said.

The sources were also emphatic in asserting that ''if it is proved that these men were at fault, action under rules will be taken against them''.

UNI