Police turn away rape victim, NCW seeks action

New Delhi: The National Commission of Women (NCW) on Thursday issued a notice to the Punjab Police demanding action in a case when a Mohali rape victim had to travel between two police stations as the station house officers (SHOs) bickered over jurisdiction.

The notice, issued to Punjab Director General of Police in Chandigarh Dinkar Gupta, cites a media report -- "Mohali: Rape survivor knocked on doors of two police station, none helped". The report claimed the 22-year-old victim, a call centre employee, was abducted on April 15 from an area that comes under the jurisdiction of Phase VIII and raped in an area that falls in the Sohana Police Station jurisdiction.

As per the report, both the police stations sent her to the other to lodge the complaint, citing jurisdiction issues. Taking cognisance of the "reported police apathy" and "negligence shown by the police despite the provision of 'Zero FIR' in the law", the women's rights body expressed its concern and requested the Punjab DGP to take strict action against the erring officials and a detailed 'action taken' report be sent to it.

A Zero FIR can be filed in any police station, regardless of the place of incidence of crime or jurisdiction. The media also reported that Sohana SHO Daljeet Singh was suspended and a case of rape was registered in that police station.