Cuttack: Giving a dramatic twist to the much talked about Kunduli gangrape incident in Korput district, Orissa Human Rights Protection Cell (HRPC) additional director general of police (ADG) Mahendra Pratap Tuesday claimed that the alleged victim, a Class-IX student, had not been assaulted sexually. While the ADG quoting medical reports to substantiate his claim, Koraput superintendent of police Kanwar Bishal Singh echoed the view.
Pratap claimed that the medical reports submitted by doctors at Kunduli hospital, Koraput district headquarters hospital (DHH) and Maharaja Krishna Chandra Gajapati Medical College and Hospital (MKCGMCH) do not corroborate the gangrape or rape allegations.
“A team from the HRPC had probed the gangrape allegation and collected the girl’s medical reports from Kunduli hospital, Korput DHH and MKCGMCH. We have submitted a report in this regard to the Orissa Human Rights Commission (OHRC) and the director general of police (DGP),” Pratap said.
The three-member medical team of Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital which is probing the Kunduli gangrape incident didn’t find evidence of the crime so far, Singh told the media at his office in Koraput Tuesday. The investigation is underway and truth would come to light once it is over, the SP added.
Meanwhile, a number of social activists and intellectuals have expressed doubts over the HRPC report and sought a proper investigation into the entire episode.
“The minor girl had claimed that four persons in combat gears had raped her October 10. Now, the HRPC ADG is saying that medical reports have ruled out the gangrape allegation. The state government should constitute an expert team to study the medical reports,” said Namita Panda, a former State Commission for Women chairperson.
Social activist Dali Das said the minor girl had narrated her ordeal when she met her a few days after the incident. “If there was no sexual assault on the girl, then what was the reason for her hospitalization? Police have failed to identify the accused. So, they have come up with a new theory to suppress the incident,” Das alleged.
Senior advocate and former secretary of the High Court Bar Association Bijay Kumar Ragad said police can proceed with the investigation as per the girl’s statement. “On occasions, medical reports on rape incidents have been found to be incorrect. Police can continue the investigation as per the victim’s statement under Sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC,” Ragad said.
Former DGP SN Tiwari too asserted that police can carry on the investigation as per the victim’s statement.
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