Delhi rape: Won’t quit, says Police Commissioner

Zee Media Bureau New Delhi: Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar on Monday made it clear that no case can be made against him to resign over the horrendous rape of a five-year-old girl in Delhi. “If my resignation can stop depravity like rapes, then I can resign a thousand times…it is case of mental depravity, psychopathy and that will not be solved by anyone resigning, least of all the leader of the police force,” Kumar said defending himself. “Is it humanely possible for a policeman to prevent a case like this? Can the police prevent it? The fact of the matter is rapes are opportunist crimes committed within the confines of private spaces, 97% are committed within homes, only three percent are committed by strangers,” he added. On a pointed question by a scribe on whether he will resign, Kumar said, “For any misreporting that you do does your editor resign?”

“Various allegations have been made about the conduct of police officials post the incident. One major incident was the slapping of a girl by ACP BS Ahlawat. He was immediately suspended and will be subjected to a enquiry by the Delhi government,” Kumar said. “Within a few hours of the incident, we came to know that prima facie there was shortfall in the reaction by the staff of Gandhi Nagar police station, I placed them under suspension as they did not respond as they should have,” he said, adding that efforts are being made to identify the policemen who offered Rs 2000 as bribe to the girl’s father to hush up the matter. “Exemplary action will be taken against policemen found lax in dealing with the child rape case,” he added. The police chief also rejected the claims that there was a delay in the registering the FIR. Kumar went on to say that he is happy with the functioning of the Delhi Police. On being asked if he is happy with Delhi Police`s job in the capital, he said, “Absolutely.” “No department takes action against erring officers as much as we do,” he quipped.