Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], May 14 (ANI): A National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team on Tuesday reached Madhya Pradesh's capital Bhopal to probe a complaint of alleged rape and blackmailing with multiple female college students.

A member of NHRC, Priyank Kanoongo said that the team of the commission would investigate the facts and findings for the next two days in the state capital. He also urged the victims and citizens that they can share any information regarding the matter with the commission's team.

'We had received a complaint and according to it, Hindu girl students were being targeted by creating fear in the name of ragging in a college in Bhopal. They were being sexually abused, being videographed, served intoxicants and were pressured to convert to Islam by blackmailing them on the basis of the video. It was a serious complaint, so we have sent a team here for factual investigation of the complaint. Today the team has arrived in Bhopal and will investigate the matter for the next two days,' Kanoongo told ANI.

'I request the people of Bhopal that around seven or eight victims have appeared so far in relation to the matter. But we doubt that there are more victims. If there is any victim, who has been harassed, and wants to address her problem, wishing her identity to be kept confidential can contact us. The commission's team is in the city. Additionally, if any vigilant citizen wants to tell anything about this crime, then they can contact us. Prima facie, we understand that some improvement is expected in police investigation,' he said.

Kanoongo highlighted that there are various aspects on which investigation needs to be done and he is quite hopeful that the picture will be clear in the next two days.

He further added, 'I would like to address a serious point with the responsibility that a crime base was operating in the city and weeds were being consumed openly. Despite all this, the local police station was sitting blindly. The police station is just 500 meters away from the incident site. Are they not aware of the fact that intoxicants were being consumed there? A place of adultery was built there, which was later demolished. I don't know if forensic evidence was collected before demolition. If it was demolished without collecting forensic evidence, then we will instruct to take serious action.'

Though it should be the priority of the police administration and the government to catch the money trail, digital footprints of the case. All these points are included in the commission's investigation, he added.

Nonetheless, the police have registered separate FIRs based on the complaints of the victims and arrested five accused, including the main accused Farhan in the matter so far. Different SITs (Special Investigation Teams) have also been constituted to probe the matter. (ANI)