From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Aug 26: The State Government and the police have taken the gang-rape incident in Mysuru “very seriously” and efforts are made on to nab the culprits, announced Home Minister Araga Jnanendra on Thursday.

The Minister said the victim has been admitted in the hospital and good treatment was being provided. The police have registered an FIR.

“As the victim is in shock, we are not able to record her statement completely. All efforts are on to trace the culprits. No arrests had been made so far,” Jnanendra said.

The Home Minister promised to hold a series of meetings with officials in Mysuru on Friday to take stock of the developments and the situation there.

A college girl was allegedly gang-raped by five men near Chamundi Hill in Mysuru late on Tuesday and the incident came to light on Wednesday. The girl and her male friend, who was assaulted by the gang, are undergoing treatment in a private hospital.

The Minister said senior police officer ADGP Pratap Reddy has gone to Mysuru and the Mysuru Police Commissioner and senior officials have been asked to form teams, investigate and nab the culprits to ensure justice to the victim.

The Minister termed the incident as “unfortunate” and said “it has made us bow down our heads in shame.’’

Asked about the Opposition Congress’ allegation that law and order situation in the state has failed, Jnanendra said the Congress has been trying to play politics over such an incident.

Accusing Congress of ‘politicising’ the incident, the Minister said, “Rape has occurred there [Mysuru]. But Congress is trying to rape the Home Minister here."

When asked to explain his statement, he said he meant it as a ‘joke’ and did not intend to hurt anyone.

Earlier in the day, Jnanendra had questioned the timing of the victims visit to the place.

Responding to a query by reporters, he said, "They [victims] went to a desolate spot at 7.30 pm. They shouldn't have gone there at that time. But we cannot stop anyone from going anywhere..."

“This is not an incident to politicise. We have to be together to see that such incidents do not repeat. Was everything great during Congress rule?” he said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee has constituted a fact-finding committee headed by former MP V S Ugrappa to submit a report to the party on the gang-rape incident in Mysuru.

MLAs Tanvir Sait, S Yathindra, Roopa Shashidhar, KPCC Mahila Congress president B Pushpa Amarnath, and former Minister H M Revanna are prominent members in the 12-member committee.

KPCC president D K Shivakumar has asked the committee members to study the gang rape incident and submit the report to him.

Congress has condemned the remarks of Jnanendra. "Not just him but his entire party should answer for such irresponsible statements," Shivakumar said.

He asked the police should immediately ‘book cases against Congressmen who were attempting to rape the home minister’.