Crime against women to be dealt with `iron hand`: Bhopal IG

Bhopal: A senior Madhya Pradesh Police official said on Friday the gangrape of a 19-year-old woman in the state capital was "very unfortunate" and asked the police to handle complaints by women and children with sensitivity.

He also said that offences committed against women would be "dealt with an iron hand."

The woman was allegedly raped by four men for about three hours near railway tracks in Bhopal when she returned home after attending a coaching class on the night of October 31.

"The gangrape in the city was a very unfortunate incident. I want the police to be very sensitive to people, especially to women and children," Bhopal zone's newly appointed Inspector-General of Police Jaideep Prasad told PTI.

"I want that the police should work like 'Good Samaritans', be friendly with people. The people, especially women and girls, who come to us with complaints should return satisfied," he said.

The offences like stalking, harassment of women and eve-teasing, Prasad said, will be "dealt with an iron hand."

"My effort would be to bring down the crime graph and ensure that women and girls fear none," the IG said.

"We are going to crack a whip on anti-social elements and hardened criminals. The police will keep a watch at isolated places in a bid see that no untoward incident takes place," he said.

Prasad recently replaced Yogesh Choudhary, who was shifted to the police headquarters here, five days after the gangrape incident.

Besides Choudhary, the superintendent of Bhopal rail division's Government Railway Police, Anita Malviya, was also shunted to the police headquarters.

The action came after media reports claimed it took the woman nearly 24 hours to get her complaint registered as officials of three police stations feuded over jurisdiction.

A case was finally registered on November 1, almost 24 hours after the crime, at the Government Railway Police (GRP) station at the Habibganj railway station.

Last week, the state police suspended five policemen for alleged negligence, which led to the delay in registering the case.

The red-faced state administration earlier served show- cause notices to two women doctors over the victim's medical examination report, which said the sexual act was committed "with her consent and will", according to officials.

At one place, the report prepared by the doctors of the Sultania Lady Hospital termed the woman an "accused" instead of the "victim".

Notwithstanding the doctors' claim of the errors having been committed "inadvertently", the Bhopal divisional commissioner served notices to them.