Haryana rapes: Khattar says don't politicise issue

New Delhi/Chandigarh, Jan 17 : As a series of rapes, gang rapes and murders, especially of minor girls, pushed the Haryana government and the state's police on the defensive, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Wednesday urged political parties not to politicise such issues.

Describing the recent incidents of violence against women as unfortunate, Khattar assured people that the government would take all measures to arrest the culprits and put them behind bars.

"Such incidents are highly condemnable and we should discuss together how to avoid this kind of heinous crimes in future," Khattar told media persons in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"Police officers have been directed to intensify patrolling in their respective areas. Apart from suspension of NGOs, three IG (Inspector General) level officers have been transferred. A number of initiatives are being taken to further improve the working of police," he said.

The opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and the Congress have demanded sacking of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Khattar in Haryana.

In the past four days, five incidents of rape and gang rape have been reported in the state.

In three of these incidents, minor girls were not only raped but also brutalised by the accused. In one case, the private parts and internal organs of the 15-year-old victim were inflicted with wounds, while in another the accused committed necrophilia on the minor victim of 11 years.

Haryana BJP media in-charge Rajiv Jain on Wednesday condemned the recent incidents of gang rapes in the state and said the state government would take strict action in all these cases and ensure that the culprits got maximum punishment.

Defending the BJP government on this issue, Jain pointed out that incidents of rapes, gang rapes, murders and honour killings took place regularly during the tenure of previous Congress government (2005-2014).

Haryana Congress leaders on Wednesday submitted a memorandum to state Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki against the rising crime in Haryana and the failure of the state government and its police in controlling the crime.