Mysuru gang rape: Home Minister retracts insensitive remarks after CM’s nudge
The Hindu
Araga Jnanendra questioned the time of victim’s visit to the secluded place and cracked a ‘joke’ too
A day after the gang rape of a college student and attack on her friend near Chamundi foothills shocked Mysuru, Home Minister Araga Jnanendra caused outrage with a series of insensitive statements, which he was compelled to retract after a reprimand by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai. Mr. Jnanendra, speaking to press persons on Thursday morning had questioned the timing of the victim’s visit to the site of the alleged crime. Responding to a query, he said: “They [victims] went to a desolate spot, at 7.30 p.m. They should not have gone there at that time. But, we cannot stop anyone from going anywhere...”A crowd comprising farmers, researchers, professors, students, and horticulture enthusiasts thronged the ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, on Friday for the inaugural ceremony of the Triphal Diversity Show which showcased 300 mango, 100 jackfruit, and 100 banana genotypes in collaboration with ICAR-National Research Centre for Banana, Tiruchirappalli.
The State government on Friday constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by Additional Director-General of Police, Manish Kharbikar of the Economic Offences division of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the alleged multi-crore scam in the government-run Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.