Another gang-rape case
THE alleged gang-rape of a married Hindu woman in Umarkot by upper caste Hindu landlords is not the last time one will hear of such a dastardly act. If there is any silver lining to the event, it is that the woman’s father-in-law has filed an FIR, naming the three men who allegedly barged into the house and raped the woman at gunpoint.
The family is now being pressured into withdrawing their charges or facing dire consequences. One hopes that the police will stand up to all pressure and do their duty of investigating the crime and arresting those involved in it. As reported in a news story on Wednesday, an elderly villager said that two girls were recently raped in the same manner by influential people but the police refused to entertain an FIR against the rapists. This matter should also be investigated for the police’s job is to provide assistance to all aggrieved people, not to protect the influential. The provincial government should take note of what is going on and step in to ensure that the legal process in each case is completed, without being dissuaded by pressure or influence. If any pressure is to be exerted, it should be to arrest and prosecute those allegedly guilty of a heinous crime.
It is because of police laxity that many rapists have gone scot-free. While it may be encouraging that more women are stepping forward to report rape, it is equally important to secure the convictions for the rapists. The police must play their role of ensuring that the culprits are apprehended while the government must provide all necessary help and prodding for the arrest and prosecution of all manner of criminals, especially rapists. Only then will men think twice before committing rape, for they will know that they cannot get away with their crime of one kind or the other.
Source: Dawn
Date:5/10/2007
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