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The Quint, on 29 September, had visited Rewari to meet with the family of the 19-year-old woman who was gang raped on 12 September. The three key accused in her case – Nishu, Manish and Pankaj – have since been arrested.
The Quint, during its investigation in the village, met with a second woman who alleged sexual assault by Nishu. After The Quint published her account and tipped off Haryana Police about the incident, it has been learnt that an FIR for attempt to rape has been filed against Nishu.
At the time of The Quint’s visit to her village, this correspondent had learnt – through conversations with multiple women in the neighbourhood – that another woman was similarly assaulted by Nishu about a year ago, but her complaint had been quashed.
The Quint tracked down the woman in question and spoke to her about the alleged assault. The woman – a mother of four – told The Quint that Nishu had come at her, fully naked, while she was in the cotton fields and grabbed her from behind.
Her full account to The Quint can be read here.
While the incident had happened a year ago, justice had eluded the alleged survivor when she’d turned to the local Nahar Police Station. The woman told The Quint that a policewoman called Reshma had, at the time, referred the matter to the village panchayat.
The alleged survivor also told this correspondent that she would willingly file an FIR in the case, even a year later – and with her emphatic consent, The Quint escalated the matter.
This correspondent spoke to Nazneen Bhasin, head of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which had been formed to bring the perpetrators of the Rewari gang rape to book. Bhasin subsequently referred the matter to Rewari SP Rahul Sharma and Kosli DSP Anil Kumar (the alleged survivor’s village is under the jurisdiction of Kosli tehsil).
Kumar confirmed to The Quint that his team would visit the woman and record her statement.
The Quint has now learned that an FIR has been filed against Nishu for attempt to rape in the same case.
The Quint also spoke to the woman’s son over the phone, from their village in Kosli, to confirm that aforementioned action has been taken.
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