There's no doubt about Murthal mass rapes, Haryana Police should focus on finding rape victims: Court

The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the state police to focus on finding victims and accused​ of Murthal 'mass' rapes.

New Delhi: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday rapped the state police over Murthal and directed them to focus on finding rape victims and accused. 

The court also observed that 'there's no doubt that gangrapes took place in Murthal during Jat quota agitation in Haryana in February this year. 

In June, the Prakash Singh committee probing the violence during the Jat stir in Haryana submitted a report to High Court that confirmed the 'mass rape' incident during the agitation. 

Earlier, the High Court slammed the Haryana government for seeking more time to collect facts and also directed them to produce the second part of the Prakash Singh Committee report on July 7, the next date of hearing.

Days after the nine-day Jat agitation, media reports claimed that the mass gang rapes took place on the night of February 22 and that up to 10 women were sexually assaulted by a group of nearly 40 hooligans during the Jat community`s agitation or reservation.

The women were allegedly pulled out of their cars, stripped and gang-raped in nearby fields. The victims later reached a nearby popular dhaba and sought help. 

Earlier, visuals of torn women's clothing, including inner wear had surfaced from the alleged crime site in Murthal. 

However, the rape reports were earlier dismissed by the Haryana Police who claimed that women's inner wear could have fallen out from bags of the commuters who were stopped and chased away by the Jat protestors during the agitation.