1.10.11

Mumbai Mirror

Omar says sorry after J&K govt gives out names of rape victims

Srinagar A few days after the Jammu and Kashmir government made public the names of hundreds of rape victims from the state, triggering massive outrage, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday tendered an unqualified apology for the insensitive act.

“Since I am the chief minister and the home minister of the state, I have a deep sense of shame and a deep sense of apology over the disclosures of the names of rape victims. I tender an unqualified apology to the rape victims and their families and I will ensure such a thing does not happen again,” Abdullah told the Assembly.

Responding to a question in the Assembly seeking details of rape victims, the state home ministry, headed by the CM, not only gave tehsil-wise details of the rapes but also the names of the victims, their parents and residential addresses.

Abdullah assured the house that he would get back to the members after making a thorough enquiry as to why the list was released.

The publication of rape victims' names is in contravention of Section 228 (A) of the Indian Penal Code that deals with the disclosure of the identity of the victim of certain offences.

A total of 1,326 rapes cases had been registered in the state since 2006. However, only one person had been convicted of the crime so far during the last five years, the government reply said.

Bulk of the rape cases are sub-judice or under investigation.