As the Mandsaur rape case is inviting much anger and triggering spontaneous protests in Madhya Pradesh and other parts of the country, a special investigation team (SIT) is formed to speed up the investigation process. Rakesh Mohan Shukla, city superintendent of police, will be heading the SIT. He said on July 1, “70 percent of the investigation had been completed in the case.”
Local lawyers strictly condemned the rape case while refusing to represent the accused. Dashrath Singh Jhala, member of the Mandsaur District Bar Association, said “No attorney in Mandsaur will represent the accused, and that this is a unanimous decision of the district Bar.”
Police arrested two accused, Irfan alias Bhaiyu (20) and Asif (24), in connection with the Mandsaur gang rape case and they are booked under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
Victim’s father while demanding death penalty for accused said, “Our family doesn’t want compensation from the government. We want the legal process in this case to be completed at the earliest and convicts be awarded death sentence as soon as possible.”
While some elements are trying to give religious angle to the whole case Babu Salim, former chairman of the Waqf board in Neemuch District, reportedly said that “the Muslims in the region have two broad demands: That Irfan be hanged immediately and second, that he be denied space in any graveyard in Mandsaur or Neemuch.”
Congress MP Jyotiraditya Scindia while blaming the BJP state government said, “Madhya Pradesh has become the rape capital of the nation. Around 5000 rapes take place in the state each year. CM should either give an answer or resign.”
Bollywood celebrities including swara bhaskara, Farhan Akhtar, Richa Chadha, Vishal dadlnai and Ritesh Deshmukh also expressed anger over the gang rape and assault of an eight-year-old school girl.
Ritesh Deshmukh tweeted, “Nothing angers me more than this….A 7 year old is kidnapped & gang raped.. Enough is enough and the culprits should be flogged & hanged publicly.”
