-The Hindustan Times   On the night of February 5, a woman, on her way back from visiting a nightclub in Kolkata’s Park Street area, was raped inside the vehicle in which she had been offered a lift. Horrifying as it is, the violence perpetrated was not unique in the annals of urban crime. A mother of two, the 37-year-old was alone, her companions having already left. She had been drinking for a...

The Law Commission recommends making Section 498A, IPC, compoundable, and women's groups say that would affect women's interests. A REPORT of the Law Commission of India on “Compounding of (IPC) Offences” suggesting that Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, which prescribes punishment for a husband or his relatives for subjecting a woman to cruelty, be made compoundable with the permission of the court, is fraught with several implications. The report...

-The Economic Times It is a matter of great regret that West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's conduct has converted one incident of rape into a series of offences against human dignity and propriety. The rape took place on February 6, a woman being gang-raped inside a car at gunpoint. She had trouble registering a case. When the police finally obliged, chief minister Mamata Banerjee called it a fabricated case, a political...

-The Times of India Two senior police officers have been made to pay the price for solving a rape case that CM Mamata Banerjee had said was a "fabricated story". Detective chief Damayanti Sen and joint commissioner, HQ, Javed Shamim stood at the Writers' Buildings rostrum on Monday and issued a clarification that no one had asked for. A section of officers feels Sen and Shamim were pulled up by Mamata for...

The Union Ministry of Women and Child Welfare is planning to do away with the age of consent in case of sexual relations with girls aged between 16 and 18. The ministry, which is currently finalising the draft of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Bill for the consideration of the Cabinet, is of the opinion that the age of consent clause should be removed. This is as per the...