Punjab, Haryana witness eight rapes in two days, all accused nabbed

Even as outrage and condemnation continue to pour in against the brutal Delhi gang-rape, at least eight cases of alleged sexual assault have been reported from the states of Punjab and Haryana in the past two days.

The demand for immediate action against the perpetrators, however, seems to have bore fruit and according to police, all the accused in these cases have been arrested.

In Haryana's Panchkula district, a youth Raju was arrested for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl in the absence of the family members, said DCP Parul Jain.

Similarly in Ferozepur Jhirka town of Mewat, three youths were arrested for allegedly raping and blackmailing an 18-year-old girl for the past six months, said SP Sukhbir Singh.

The victim, in her complaint, had alleged that the accused had raped her and made an MMS of the same for the purpose of blackmailing, he said.

In Gurdaspur district of Punjab, a labourer Radhey Shyam was arrested last Saturday for allegedly raping and killing a minor girl, police said.

The 13-year-old girl was found murdered in a sugarcane field at Hassanpur village.

In Jalandhar, four persons were arrested for allegedly raping a minor girl in Bhogpur area of the district and making her pregnant, local SHO B S Bajwa said.

Kanwar Samrat, a doctor in Ludhiana, was arrested on a complaint by her 21-year-old fiancee, who alleged that the doctor repeatedly raped her on the pretext of marrying.

A youth Abhimanyu was arrested by the Mohali police for allegedly molesting a girl and making an MMS of the act after taking the victim to Kasauli town of Himachal Pradesh on the pretext of attending a marriage ceremony, SSP (Ludhiana) GPS Bhullar said.

Seven others were arrested for their alleged involvement in two separate rape cases in Bhiwani district of Haryana and Bathinda district of Punjab, police officials said.

Meanwhile, the administration in both the states has also came up with a slew of measures to ensure security of women.

While top brass of Punjab police has started a review of gender related crimes on everyday basis, their Haryana counterparts have set up a crime cell especially to monitor such cases.