SHRC orders investigation into rape in police station

Bangalore, Oct 15 (UNI) An investigation by the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission into the rape of a young woman while in custody has revealed that the she and her husband were kept in illegal confinement for more than a week and the woman raped by one of the policemen identified as C C Basavaraj, SHRC Chairman Justice S R Nayak said today.

The incident took place last month when a young couple was arrested and kept in illegal confinement in Koramangala police station in the city.

The incident came to light when the undertrial prisoner and her husband, arrested on the charge of theft, filed a complaint with the SHRC.

Later, the couple was lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central prison, where the woman first reported the incident to Jail Medical Officer Dr Shashikala who asked her to complain to the SHRC.

The Commission, which took up an investigation, recorded the statements of the couple and the doctor.

Talking to newspersons here, the Chairman said that they had asked the Commissioner of Police to inquire into the matter and initiate action against the culprit. The Commission ordered that all facilities be provided to the victim as per the judgment in the Delhi Domestic Working Women's Forum v/s Union of India and others(1995) case.

Meanwhile, Justice Nayak said the Commission would leave for Menasinahadya village in Chikmagalur district tomorrow to conduct an inquiry into the killing of four persons by the police recently.

Police had claimed that the four were Naxalites, who had fired at the police, forcing them to return the fire in self defence. However, the locals and NGOs claimed that it was a fake encounter and those killed were innocents.

UNI