RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh police today arrested a CRPF jawan who is accused of molesting school girls in the Maoist-affected Dantewada district. A police team has been sent to Uttarakhand to nab another man accused.
The arrest was made after they were identified by the victims.
The arrested man has been identified as Shamim Ahmed. The co-accused, Neeraj Pondawal, left for Uttarakhand soon after a probe was launched.
“The school girls through the photographs have identified the CRPF men. One of them has been taken into custody. We have sent a police team to Uttarakhand to arrest another. The law is equal for everyone and we will not protect anyone found guilty,” the deputy inspector general of police (Bastar zone) P Sunderraj told the New Indian Express.
The tribal girls, who were Class XI students, had attended an event to tie rakhi to CRPF men when they were molested by the two in a toilet. The girls subsequently lodged a complaint with the local police. Soon, a probe was ordered by the district administration. Sensing the gravity of the matter, the CRPF too decided to conduct an internal court of inquiry.
The incident occurred during a programme organized by a private news channel ahead of Raksha Bandhan day at Palmar. Nearly 500 girls had gathered to tie rakhi to CFPF personnel.
Both Shameem and Neeraj belonged to the 221 battalions of the CRPF. Further investigation into the charges will be made. If found guilty, action will be taken against them under the relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, police said.