Patiala gangrape-suicide case: Dismissed police officer arrested

Patiala: The Punjab Police on Saturday arrested its dismissed police officer for his role in the abetment to suicide of a teenaged rape victim of Patiala district. Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Nasib Singh, who was in-charge of the police station of Badshahpur village, where the victim committed suicide on Wednesday evening, was arrested during special checking by the police.

The ASI was dismissed from service on Thursday and later booked for abetment to suicide of the victim. The girl, 18, who was allegedly gangraped by three men in November in Patiala district, committed suicide in her village, 100 km from Chandigarh, by consuming poison after local police officers not only refused to register a case but also humiliated her by calling her to the police station repeatedly and asking uncomfortable questions.

In her suicide note, the girl mentioned her harassment by police and the fact that she was being pressurised allegedly by them to compromise with the rapists. She alleged that she was also being threatened by the rapists who were roaming around freely.

Patiala gangrape: Dismissed police officer arrested

The 18-year-old girl in her suicide note had alleged that police was forcing her to compromise with the culprits.

Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, who holds the home portfolio, on Thursday ordered the dismissal from service of the area station house officer, Gurcharan Singh, and Nasib Singh. Deputy Superintendent of Police Harpreet Singh was also suspended. After her suicide, police on Thursday arrested two men and a woman in the rape case.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Friday constituted a high-level team headed by Additional Director General of Police (Crime) Jaswinder Singh to visit the village to probe the matter.