In a bizarre incident, a panchayat in Uttar Pradesh directed a minor rape survivor to take Rs 50,000 from the accused, slap him five times with a slipper and settle the case. The incident occurred in the Maharajganj district of the state.
Following village panchayat’s absurd decision, the girl’s family reported the incident in Kothibhar police station after which a case of molestation was filed.
Reportedly, a 13-year-old girl was raped by a village youth on June 23 when she was picking vegetables in the field. The accused fled the scene and the survivor returned home and told her family about the incident after which the victim's family had arrived at the accused house and caused a ruckus.
However, the accused family denied all the allegations and verbally abused and threatened the victim and her family members. After this, the victim's family did not report to the police instead approached Panchayat for Justice.
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The victim’s family also made the panchayat decision viral on social media, prompting Maharajganj SP Pradeep Gupta to order the police to get the girl medically examined and also record her statement under Section 164 of CrPC.
“If rape is reported in the medical test, the case will be registered under the related sections and action will be taken accordingly,” said SP Gupta.
In the meantime, a case has been filed under the relevant sections of the IPC and the POSCO Act, and the accused is still at large.
"A case has been registered and the victim has been sent to the hospital for medical examination. Further action will be taken according to the report,” said Police station officer Dhanveer Singh.