Almost two months into the riots, the Narendra Modi Government has begun to register FIRs related to murder and arson at the refugee camps but there’s one crime it refuses to acknowledge. Although many of its victims are seeking justice: rape and sexual assault. Not a single FIR in Ahmedabad has been recorded by the police. No special women’s cell has been set up to register the complaints—despite such recommendations by team after team, including the National Commission for Women. It’s been left to some voluntary organizations to record complaints and assuring the victims of help to file cases.
When asked why no special women’s cell has been formed to deal with cases of alleged sexual assault, Commissioner of Police P C Pande said: ‘‘Sometimes creating a separate cell only slackens work.’’