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NCW recommends action against TN cops in Chitra rape case

The National Commission for Women, investigating into the October 12 suicide of Chitra in Madras following alleged rape by police officials, has found sufficient evidence to indicate that the police brutally beat her up while in custody, and directed the Tamil Nadu government to immediately begin disciplinary proceedings against the erring officials.

A four-member team of the NCW led by Dr Indira Basavaraj concluded that the police had no justification for apprehending or beating up Chitra, whose husband was alleged to be involved in a theft. The police had no right to enter her house without prior permission of the local police station or orders of a magistrate or to take her to the police station around midnight, said the team's report, which was released at a press conference in New Delhi today.

Dr Basavaraj stated that the police officials and the forensic Team, which performed the post-mortem, did not extended cooperation to the NCW investigating team. She also regretted that officials of the state government showed disregard to a member of a statutory body performing its legitimate functions.

In this context, NCW members made an appeal to the government to immediately appoint a commissioner for women's rights to ensure that the commission received due recognition to carry out its responsibilities without hindrances or roadblocks as those they encountered by the authorities in Tamil Nadu. This case should also be discussed on the floor of Parliament in the context of non-cooperation of the state authorities, they urged.

The team found that there was an inordinate delay in conducting the post-mortem and also making the report available earlier.

Dr Basavaraj specifically mentioned the attitude of the head of the department of forensic science in Kilpauk hospital, who undertook the medical examination on the body of Chitra and who refused to give any details on the ground that she was bound to give the report only to the RDO. The refusal became all the more suspect in view of the fact that the police had already put out a report in the press on October 15 that the post-mortem report did not reveal the commission of any rape, she added.

According to the report, even in the absence of any specific forensic evidence on the commission of rape on Chitra, the evidence collected by the team members would be sufficient to come to a prima facie conclusion that a rape had been committed.

The NCW has recommended sufficient compensation from the erring officials as well as the state government to the relatives of Chitra. It also recommends that police officers be directed to wear uniform and identification badge while going for investigation, arresting persons and effecting searches in keeping with the Supreme Court's judgment in this regard. Also, in view of the growing atrocities against women, the state government should undertake periodical sensitisation programmes for police officers to promote gender justice.

It also suggested that the entire post-mortem report, the evidence of the clothes worn by Chitra and the slides of vaginal smears be forwarded to experts of similar or higher status for a second opinion.

UNI

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