The Bangalore rape investigation botch-up

What is not explained is how the skating instructor could have been made an accused without anything pointing towards him

The rape of a six-year-old girl in a Bangalore school shows just how shoddy police investigations can be when they are under pressure. In early July, at the upscale Vibgyor school, the victim was locked inside a room and raped. After she complained of pain to her parents, a medical check up discovered sexual assault. The parents lodged a police complaint and mounted a public campaign for justice. Once the issue got traction, there were large-scale protests.

The police arrested one skating instructor from the school. The police commissioner even held a press conference and said they were convinced he was the rapist. As evidence, however, the only thing the police could cite was the existence of child pornography on a laptop which they said they found five days after his arrest. As public anger began to build up, the police commissioner was replaced.

This week, the new commissioner said that the skating instructor was not the accused. What saved the instructor was the police finding that instead of 2 July, the rape actually occurred on 3 July, when he was nowhere near the scene of the crime. Now, two gym instructors in the school have been arrested. What is, however, not explained is how the skating instructor could have been made an accused without anything pointing towards him.

The Bangalore Police deserve some credit for admitting the botch-up. One retired IPS officer remarked on a television channel that the entire justice system gets to work at its own pace, whereas the police are expected to deliver instant results. That might be true, but it still does not justify pointing at the first person they find with a suspicious background as the criminal.

About The Author

Open