From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Bangalore
Bangalore, Jul 18: Spurred by the public outcry and media spotlight as well as the furore in the State Legislature over the repeated incidents of rape and sexual assault against women in Karnataka, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that repeated offenders would be booked under the Anti-Goonda Act.
A high level meeting of senior police officials, which was chaired by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and attended by Home Minister K J George, at the Chief Minister’s residence 'Krishna,’decided to step up police patrolling in all wards of the city round the clock to ensure women’s safety.
The Chief Minister said the State Government has decided to act tough and deal with all rape and sexual offenders with a heavy hand.
''Ensuring safety of women in the government’s top priority. We will not allow this type of behaviour at any cost,” the chief minister declared.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Home Minister George said a decision was taken to book all those habitual and repeated offenders would be booked under the Goonda Act.
Additional Director General of Police (ADGPs) would be given responsibility of monitoring law and order and ensuring women’s safety in each district, he said.
A decision has been taken to set up a patrolling room headed by Deputy Commissioner of Police in the City as part of the measures to intensify patrolling in the City.
New vehicles would be provided to all police stations in a few days, George said.
The Government, which has received suggestions from the top police brass, has decided to take stringent action against all those involved in the sexual assault cases in the State.
Following the recommendations of the legislature panel, it has decided to recruit more women police in all stations.
George said the department would take up confidence building measures to keep faith in the law and order system of the State and ensure women’s safety in public places.
Furore in the Assembly, Dharna, Walkout
Meanwhile, the issue of the repeated incidents of rape and sexual assault cases against women in the City figured prominently in the State Legislative Assembly causing acrimonious scenes besides slogan-shouting by the Opposition BJP and JD(S) members, ending in a brief dharna and even abrupt adjournment.
The BJP and JD(S) members, who sought move an adjournment motion to discuss the issue related to crime against women, began shouting slogans and demanded resignation of Home Minister K J George when their plea was turned down.
The BJP members urged the Assembly Speaker Kagodu Thimmappato take up the issue immediately on account of rise in number of rape and sexual assault cases in the last one week.
Even as the Speaker told members that they would be allowed to raise the issue after the Government’s reply on the education department’s demands, Opposition members trooped into the well of the house.
The Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa repeatedly urged the members to maintain order and return to their seats. As this went in vain, he adjourned the House for 30 minutes.
The Speaker later allowed the Opposition to make a preliminary submission on the issue.
10 Rape Cases in last Week, sub-inspector arrested
Vishveshwara Hegde Kageri (BJP) said the law and order had collapsed in the State and demanded resignation of Home Minister.
He said 10 cases of rape have been reported during the last one week in Bangalore, Kolar, Raibagh, Sindhagi, Malur and Gulbarga.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah informed the house that Mohammad Rafique, sub-inspector, attached to Pulikeshinagar police station had been arrested following complaints of his asking the complainant to tone down the complaint of rape and molestation in the Fraser Town limits.
''It is a clear case of omission. He is arrested today,’’ Sidddaramaiah said adding it was for the first time that an Investigating Officer had been arrested in such a case.
The inspector was booked under section 166 (A) of the Indian Penal Code relating to non—recording of FIR regarding sexual offences as complained by the rape victim.
The provision is stated to have been invoked for the first time in the state since an amendment was made to IPC after the rape and fatal assault of a 23-year-old woman physiotheraphy intern in Delhi in 2012, which is known as the Nirbhaya incident.
In the July 10 midnight incident, a 22-year-old woman who was sitting in a car with her friend near her apartment was allegedly abducted and raped by one of the four men who forcibly got into their car and took them away in the same vehicle to a nearby railway track and committed the crime.
The main accused, son of a local BSP leader, has been arrested.