Bangalore, Jul 18 (DHNS): The men, who raped a 15-year-old girl after rendering her unconscious at the Sisters of Holy Nativity seminary in Hennur on Wednesday, scribbled a chilling message on her left leg, below the knee: “If you do not give money, we will publish your photos.” The incident has shocked the residents of Bairaweshari Nagar in Hennur Bannde, where the seminary is located. They complained of lack of police patrolling in the area.
Shobha, a resident, said, “Of late, we have not seen police patrolling the area. This particular incident has worried us about our younger ones. The area is isolated and there is not much movement of people during most part of the day.”
There is a huge vacant land, just 100 metres from the seminary where the girl was raped. The land is used for all kinds of illegal activities, said Emanuel (name changed), who stays close to the house of the sisters. “The construction labourers of a nearby apartment create a lot of nuisance. Once when my wife went to spread clothes on the terrace, the labourers hooted and whistled at her. After the day’s work, they are seen loitering around in gangs.”
The resident also mentioned that for the last few weeks, many men and women, who claim to be from north India, were doing rounds, knocking on the gates of the houses for donation. “When we ask them why they are collecting money, they keep quiet.
When any woman attends to them, they ask such questions as ‘Are you alone at home?’ Or ‘When will the people in the house get back?’,” he said. Other residents spoke up against the ruckus created by foreign students living in the locality. “We cannot talk about that problem as it’s a sensitive issue,” they said.
A member of Bairaweshari Nagar Residents’ Welfare Association said, “Beat constables used to make an entry in the register but now the practice has been stopped; sometimes we spot the constables doing rounds. We need more intense monitoring of the area.”
DCP (East) Satish Kumar told Deccan Herald that the police patrolling in the area would be increased and the force would do everything to prevent untoward incidents. In the wake of the large number of foreign students living in the locality, the officer spoke of plans to make it mandatory for foreign nationals to report to the local police station before renting a house. The house owner should also inform the police about the tenants, he said.
The rape victim, who hails from Chintalapudi town in West Godavari, Andhra Pradesh, is being treated at a hospital. “Once she is in a position to talk, we will gather information from her about the strangers. Two special teams have been formed to nab the culprits,” a police officer said.