Bhopal rape-blackmail case: Police form SIT, meet NWC members

Bhopal, May 5 (IANS) Recognising the alarming rise in cases of forced conversion through coercion and deception in Madhya Pradesh, the state government has taken decisive action by constituting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) with the authority to investigate these cases thoroughly.

Director General of Police Kailash Makwana has led the initiative, tasking the SIT with investigating such incidents across the state.

Leadership of this task force has been assigned to Inspector General Abhay Singh of Bhopal Rural, supported by Additional Police Commissioner Pankaj Srivastava and three senior officers from Police Headquarters.

A criminal group in Bhopal is accused of administering drugs to multiple female students, subjecting them to sexual assault, and recording the incidents on film. They then allegedly used these recordings as a means of coercion and blackmail.

The authorities formally registered a case on April 25 after five students from a private college stepped forward one after the other to report the crimes.

The police have apprehended the key accused of the gang, Farhan Ali, but he was shot while trying to snatch a service revolver from a police officer who took him to an investigation spot.

Farhan is in the hospital under treatment. His accomplices, Saad, Sahil and Nabeel have also been arrested.

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women has also stepped in to address the troubling reports of rape, blackmail, and exploitation involving “Hindu girl students” at a private college in Bhopal.

On Sunday, the Women's Commission met with the investigation team to discuss the case in detail.

The SIT officials have been summoned to aid in the inquiry, and discussions between the Women's Commission and the investigators took place.

On Saturday, representatives from the National Commission for Women visited Bagh Sewania police station, Bhopal, as part of their ongoing efforts.

The commission's team will remain in Bhopal for the next three days, during which they will meet all relevant parties and may also engage directly with victims and their families to understand their plight.

An official statement from the Police Headquarters has confirmed the presence of criminal activities targeting socially vulnerable women and girls in various districts.

Reports suggest these victims were manipulated through deceit, pressure, or threats, subjected to mental, physical, and social exploitation, and forced conversion. The police emphasise that such incidents not only violate legal norms but also pose a serious challenge to women's dignity, freedom, and safety.

--IANS

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