By IANS
Chandigarh : Two policemen from the Haryana governor’s security team and a civilian were Thursday sent to a day’s police custody on charges of raping a 40-year-old woman.
The two policemen were arrested Thursday morning after they, along with the third man, allegedly raped the woman in a government house in the high-security zone, just 100 metres from the Haryana and Punjab Raj Bhawans (governor houses), the Chandigarh police said.
The two security personnel – commando Vijendra and constable Dinesh of the Haryana Armed Police – were posted on duty at the Haryana Raj Bhawan here.
Their third accomplice, identified as Situ from Haryana’s Rohtak district, had come to Chandigarh as Dinesh’s guest. He was absconding.
The incident that took place in the high-security zone in one of the most upscale areas of the city left the Haryana and Chandigarh police acutely embarrassed.
Haryana Director General of Police Ranjiv Dalal said action would be initiated against the two erring policemen.
“There are always black sheep in any force. Their court cases may go on for years, but we will dispense with their services,” Dalal said.
The two accused were suspended from the service later in the evening. The Haryana police also suspended sub-inspector Jagpal Singh, in-charge of the two policemen at the governor house, for dereliction of duty and failing to prevent them from committing the crime, a Haryana police spokesman said here.
Earlier, Sector 3 station house officer Ram Gopal told IANS: “We have booked the three people on charges of rape.”
The victim, a resident of Mohali town, about 10 km from here, is mother of five children. She was taken for medical examination and the preliminary report indicated sexual intercourse but no injury marks.
The victim told the police that she was returning home late Wednesday night with an acquaintance after doing catering work at the Rock Garden when they were signalled to stop by the police personnel near the Haryana Raj Bhawan.
She alleged that she was taken inside one of the government houses and raped by three people. They later dropped her at Mohali in Punjab.
A number of catering service waiters, who worked with the woman, gathered outside the Haryana Raj Bhawan in the wee hours of Thursday after hearing of the rape. The Chandigarh police had to send additional forces to handle the situation.
Investigating officers told IANS Thursday evening that there were several loopholes in the charge levelled by the woman. They said no security personnel, either at the residential complex or at the Raj Bhawan gates, heard her shouting for help.
“There were other security personnel in the adjoining building. No one heard anything,” a senior Chandigarh police officer said.
The police said that neither the victim’s body bore any marks of injury or struggle nor the spot where the alleged rape was committed had any signs of struggle.