AMRITSAR: Cases of molestation and rape of young girls and women in villages by criminals in the garb of militants have come to light with the busting of a gang by the Majitha police.

Members of the gang according to police sources had made a number of women victims of their lust. While three of them have been arrested two others have been identified.

The gang members the sources said used to move about in villages around Majitha town and made secluded farmhouses their targets.

Many well-to-do families are reported to have sent their young daughters to either their relatives or other places.

Among the victims were a school-girl and certain married women.

The sources said certain militant organisations had also announced rewards on the heads of the gang members.

The modus operandi of the gang the sources said was to look for women or young girls who were alone in farmhouses. In certain cases the gang struck at night in the presence of male members.

They would take away young girls at gunpoint and drop the name of a top militant of the area to terrorise the family.

After outraging their modesty they would send the victims back threatening them with dire consequences if the matter was reported to anyone They usually claimed themselves to be members of a militant group.

In certain cases where the parents protested the gang members threatened to wipe out the family.

Not a single such case was brought to the notice of either the police or the panchayat despite the fact that the gang had been operating for several months.

The cases came to light when a 15-yr-old girl was raped at a farmhouse in the presence of her elder sister. The victim fell unconscious and her sister raised the alarm. Villagers chased the gang members and reported the matter to the police.

The police then arrested three members of the gang. During their interrogation they confessed to have raped at least six women in Majitha Idgah and Roni villages.

They also revealed they had nothing to do with militant activity and were misusing the names of militants for their nefarious activities.

A senior police officer did not rule out the possibility of certain other women having been raped as they might not have been more forthcoming.

Apart from indulging in rape the gang members also forcibly took away 13 vehicles including a car which were recovered from them An imported pistol was also seized.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 15, 1991