Police officer raped me: Girl

A minor girl in Pratapgarh district was not only illegally detained at a police station on Tuesday night but was also raped by station officer Manoj Rai.

According to the girl, she was picked up by the police while she was trying to elope with her boyfriend. She was taken to the Raniganj police station in Jethwara in Pratapgarh and made to sit inside the police station by SP Rai.

"My family members came to take me home at night but the station officer asked them to come in the morning. However, my brother waited all night outside the police station while I was made to stay inside. Later in the night, the station officer, who was in a drunken state, gagged me and raped me. After that the police official went off to sleep and I escaped from the rear exit
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Article taken from the issue: 27 Dec 2007

Malaysia Indians face lesser charge

Amid international pressure to permit democratic expression of dissent and treat the minorities better, Kuala Lumpur's Muslim-dominated coalition government on Monday dropped the "attempt to murder" charge against the 31 Malaysian Indians who had allegedly hit a policeman with a brick during their massive protest rally here on November 25.

Responding to advice from Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, attorney general Abdul Gani Patail told the Shah Alam sessions court that he was dropping the "attempt to murder" charges against all the accused, who have come to be known as Hindraf-31 for participating in the big rally organized by the Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf). The attorney-general said all charges were dropped against five students in the group, obviously considering their age and future education and career prospects. He also said the charges of illegal assembly and causing mischief would remain against the other 26 demonstrators, who had pleaded guilty.

Judge Nursinah Adzmi allowed the 26 to be released on bail at 500 ring git and one surety each until she delivers sentence on December 27. These men could face up to five years in jail or a fine, or both.

Interestingly, Mr Patail said all the 31 had written to him swearing that they had nothing to do with Hindraf and giving an undertaking that they would never again participate in an illegal assembly. "I could be very strict but this is not the time (for it). This is not a good- will gesture. It is the fairest thing to do," the attorney-general told the media. To a question on why the charges were dropped, he said it was difficult to identify the person who had thrown the brick that had injured police officer Dadi Abdul Rani.

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Article taken from the issue: 18 Dec 2007

Classmates gun down boy at school

There is an eerie calm outside Euro International School in Gurgaon's Sector 46 where a student, Abhishek Tyagi, was shot dead, allegedly by his classmates, on the school premises on Tuesday afternoon.

They shot Abhishek five times at point blank range. Two bullets hit him in the chest and one in the mouth, causing heavy loss of blood.

He died on the way to hospital.

The incident, probably the first of its kind in the country, took place at approximately 2.15 pm when the school was about to close for the day.

Eyewitnesses claimed that the victim had a brawl with the accused, Vikas and Akash, who live in Gurgaon's Sector 14, last Thursday over a "personal issue". The two accused and the victim were in Class 8.

On Tuesday, as soon as Abhishek came down the stairs from the first floor after finishing classes, Vikas allegedly caught hold of him and Akash then allegedly fired at him from point blank range. He was rushed by the school authorities to Pushpanjali Hospital where he was declared brought dead.

"Akash's father is working in the Delhi police and he (Akash) may have used the pistol of his father to commit the crime. It is very unfortunate," eyewitnesses claimed on condition of anonymity.

"Akash pulled out his father's licensed revolver and allegedly shot Abhishek four times, then handed the gun to Vikas who fired another bullet," police officials claimed.

The incident has left a question mark over the security of students at schools, which are usually considered safe. The incident has also shocked the parents of students studying in Euro International School. "The incident is gruesome. We will consider getting our son admitted in another school.

It is very unsafe," said Ghansham Tekale, a parent.

However, the school authorities said the allegations of security loopholes at the institute were unfair.

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Article taken from the issue: 12 Dec 2007