The Hindu : Front Page : Protests over minor's rape continue in Mumbai

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Tuesday, Apr 26, 2005

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Protests over minor's rape continue in Mumbai

Special Correspondent

Accused constable dismissed; change sought in police attitude

POLICE AT THE RECEIVING END: Women activists breaking the cordon at Azad Maidan on Monday. They were protesting the rape of a minor by a police constable in Mumbai last Thursday. — Photo: Vivek Bendre

MUMBAI: Though the Government dismissed the constable, Sunil More, who raped a minor student on the Marine Drive last Thursday, women's groups joined the protests which have continued for the fifth consecutive day on Monday, demanding more accountability from the state and an end to moral policing.

At the site of the police post, since dismantled, a group of college students performed "last rites" for the Mumbai police. Pratibha Naitthani, lecturer in political science, and students of St. Xavier's college and the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad organised the protest to mourn the "death of the police and law and order in the city." A policeman's cap was garlanded with flowers while students marched around singing, "Ram Nam Satya Hai" and lit incense sticks in the traditional mud pot.

`Credibility dead'

"The police is dead as far as we are concerned and so is their credibility. So we decided to organise the last rites at the very place where the shameful incident took place," Ms. Naitthani told The Hindu . Meera Karani, a 12th standard student, said: "The Marine Drive area is one we all identify with. We used to think it was a safe place. It is so shameful what has happened and the punishment must be stiff."

In a memorandum to the police commissioner, A.N. Roy, women's groups protested the demolition of the police post, the scene of crime.

`Dismissal not enough'

Women's groups, lawyers and human rights activists are not satisfied that More has been sacked from the police force. They said senior officers must also be held accountable for More's conduct. "Merely sacking the man is not enough," said Miriam Dhawale, State Secretary of the Janwadi Mahila Sanghatana. "The whole force is incapable of preventing growing crimes against women. There is poor investigation and the rate of conviction for crimes against women is pathetic. The man was shielded and this is a perfect case," she said.

Women's groups broke the police cordon at Azad Maidan and marched to the office of the city police commissioner in Crawford Market. A High Court order prohibits marches along this route.

Flavia Agnes of Majlis said that each police station must have a women's desk and they must be specially trained to deal with complaints from women. "This whole issue is one of moral policing. How many police are drunk on duty and they are the ones who frequent bars. The Mumbai police are setting moral standards now. They first have to clean up their own machinery. We are challenging the arrogance of the Mumbai police," she said.

The police and the Government have promised a speedy trial. More is in police custody till May 3.

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