Maha: PSI, ASI suspended in connection with woman's rape in Bhandara

A sub inspector and an assistant sub inspector were placed under suspension for alleged dereliction of duty in connection with the rape of a 35-year-old woman in Maharashtra's Bhandara district, an official said on Monday.

The woman was going to her brother's home in Kamargaon tehsil in Goregaon tehsil on July 30 when one of the accused befriended her, raped and abandoned her, police had said.

On August 1, two other accused raped her in Kanhalmoh and passersby found her unconscious on August 2 and alerted Kardha police, which got her admitted in hospital.

An official on Monday said PSI Dilipkumar Gharde and ASI Lakhan Uikey have been suspended by Bhandara Superintendent of Police Lohit Matani for alleged negligence and dereliction of duty after a preliminary probe.

A woman constable has been attached to the police headquarters as well, the official said.

He said the victim was brought to Lakhni police station post the first rape incident after some citizen alerted them, but she was allowed to leave the next morning, and was raped again by two persons some hours later.

The woman would not have been raped had the personnel at Lakhni police station been more alert and sensitive to the situation and not allowed her to leave, the official said.

''PSI Gharde was duty officer at Lakhni police station that night and PSI Uikey was the station house officer (SHO). Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sanjay Patil is inquiring against the personnel,'' he informed.

Meanwhile, a special investigation team (SIT) under Ragsudha R, Commandant of State Reserve Police Force Group 4 based in Jalna, has begun probe into the rape case, officials said.

They said Ragsudha met Gondia Superintendent of Police Vishwa Pansare and personnel at Goregaon police station, where the rape case is registered, they added.

The victim is responding to treatment at the Government Medical College and Hospital in Nagpur and she is now out of danger, an official said.