Punjab to have Sexual Assault Response Teams

Chandigarh: Two minor girls were raped in Moga and Ludhiana in Punjab while a rape victim died after delivering a stillborn child in neighbouring Haryana, police said on Wednesday.

A six-year-old girl from Singhpura Munnan village in Moga district was raped, Senior SP (Moga) S S Grewal said. Soni Singh took the victim to his place about 20 days back and raped her, Grewal said, adding that the accused had confessed to the crime about which police came to know only on Monday. The accused had been arrested, the SSP said. Medical examination of the girl confirmed rape. In the second incident, a 14-year-old girl was raped in village Talwandi Kalan in Ludhiana, police said. The accused identified as Harpal Singh alias Bhalu, Vijay and Shera - all in the 28-30 age group - have been arrested, Police Commissioner Ishwar Singh said. The Punjab Police has decided to constitute specialised investigation teams to deal with sexual assaults on women, official sources said here. The Sexual Assault Response Teams will comprise women in combat wing and men in the administrative roles. Rape cases will be reported to the headquarters on the same day and women constables will record statements of victims. Meanwhile, a 20-year-old woman from Karnal, who had accused her neighbour Pardeep of raping her since June last year, died at a hospital at Rohtak on December 29 after delivering a still born child, police said. Pardeep has been arrested on charges of rape. The victim died after developing post delivery complications, police said. The DNA sample of the stillborn child will now be matched with the DNA of the accused. PTI