Bengaluru: In a scathing attack against the state government over the Mysuru gang-rape incident, the Opposition leader Siddaramaiah alleged that police have completely failed to handle the most sensitive case. 

Initiating debate under rule 69 regarding Mysuru gang-rape incident in the Legislative Assembly, the Opposition leader condemned the manner in which police have handled the case.

Initially, police have tried to hush up the case, and they have taken 14 to 15 hours to file an FIR. Though the case was heinous, like the Nirbhaya case, the police have registered the rape case at first; instead of registering the case under section 376D, 377 of IPC, police have registered the case under section 354A, which is an ordinary offence, Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out.

Doctors at JSS medical hospital admitted that it was a case of gang rape and sent the report to the police station under Medico-Legal Case (MLC) clause; the police have delayed registering a case. After Congress workers and public protest, the police have registered rape cases; even police have not taken the statement of the victim and her boyfriend, the opposition leader said.

After the Nirbhaya case, former Chief Justice of India, J.S. Varma, submitted a detailed report to the government regarding sexual assault against women, particularly gang rape. Police have not taken action based on the Justice Varma committee, Mr. Siddaramaiah said and added that police have still don’t know the ownership of the land where the crime occurred.

Explaining the police lapses in the case, the Opposition leader said, police have not shifted the victim to a government hospital, not recording her statement, police inaction has led the victim to move out of Mysuru; interestingly, after the arrest of the accused, police have not paraded all six accused before the victim and her boyfriend.

Intervening in the debate, Health Minister Dr. K. Sudhakar said, the victim was in a deep shock after the incident; she was not in a position to give the statement. The mental agony of the victim must be taken into consideration, he said and defended the police action of not recording her statement. However, Mr. Siddaramaiah questioned, who prevented the police from recording her statement before the Magistrate under section 164 of IPC.

"Police failures in handling the case were evident; police could have shifted her to a government hospital for counselling instead of allowing her to discharge from the JSS hospital", Mr. Siddaramaiah remarked.

“When I asked about the delay in registering a case and not recording her statement under 164 of IPC before the Magistrate, the police have no answer”, the Opposition leader informed the Assembly.

The opposition leader has also criticized the police for not registering the separate FIR against the accused of assaulting the victim's boyfriend. He criticized Home Minister Araga Jnanendra for his insensitivity in the case.

“ Home Minister has questioned the victim for going to Chamundeshwari hill after 7 pm; it shows his insensitivity. Instead of visiting the crime spot, Home Minister has visited Police Academy”, the Opposition leader said.

Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai informed the House that police had brought the victim to the City from Mumbai, and her statement was recorded before the Magistrate.

Mysuru city has over 15 lakh population, but it has only 3500 police personals. Recently many theft cases, robbery, murder, and chain snatching cases were reported in the city, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.