Protests broke out in Chandigarh on 17 January over the recent spate in the crimes against women in Haryana.

According to reports, six women have been raped in the state in the last three days.

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Congress leaders, led by former chief minister BS Hooda met with the Governor to complain about the failing law and order under the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in the state.

The Congress is demanding the dismissal of the state government.

“Multiple rape incidents make us hang our head low in shame. State government must resign on moral grounds. We’ve asked the Governor to dismiss the government if they don’t resign,” Hooda told reporters.

Talking to reporters, Khattar said that he was deeply pained.

“I am shocked and disturbed. The government will take action against the guilty,” said Khattar.

“We started ‘Dial 100 Project’, will also begin ‘1090 Project’ so women in danger can immediately contact police. We’ll look into matters, take help of counseling or legal action as the need be,” he said

“I appeal political parties not to politicise the issue,” Khattar added.

Meanwhile, R C Mishra, ADG Ambala range, said that such incidents have been happening for years and that the police are doing their duty by finding the culprits as soon as possible.

Earlier, the Haryana Police was left baffled after recovering the body of a 19-year-old youth who was until now the prime suspect in the rape and murder of a 15-year-old Dalit girl in Kurukshetra district.

Police said on Wednesday that the body of Gulshan, who was considered the prime suspect in the killing of the Class 10 student, was found on Tuesday night from the Bhakra irrigation canal near Jyotisar in Kurukshetra district, about 110 km from here.

The body was in a decomposed state.

Gulshan’s name was mentioned in the FIR as an accused.

Family members of the deceased youth on Wednesday started a protest outside the office of the Kurukshetra Superintendent of Police Abhishek Garg demanding justice.

Garg confirmed the recovery of Gulshan’s body. “We are investigating the murders,” he said.

Police sources said they could not rule out “honour killing” as a reason behind the twin murders.

The Haryana Police, based on the complaint of the victim girl’s family, had listed Gulshan, a Class 12 student, as the prime suspect in the kidnapping, rape and murder of the girl.

Some people were even detained for questioning and raids were conducted to nab Gulshan.

The girl had gone for her tuition class on January 9 and went missing. Her half-naked body was found near a canal in Jind district on Saturday.

Police and forensic officials said the girl was brutally raped and inflicted wounds on her private parts and internal organs. She was murdered by her tormentors.

Haryana has been rocked with five incidents of rape and gang-rape in the past four days. These were reported from Kurukshetra/Jind, Panipat, Pinjore and Faridabad (two). In three of these, the victims were brutally murdered.

(With inputs from agencies.)