Image Courtesy:hindustantimes.com
A 17-year-old girl in Aligarh committed suicide last week on Saturday, two days after she was allegedly raped by two men of the same village, The Indian Express reported.
An FIR has been filed under Sections Sections 376 (D) (gangrape) and 306 (abetment to suicide) of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act.
Police officials said that the girl was found hanging in her house on Saturday. Her family alleged that after the incident, there was a panchayat held in the village where the girl was pressured into “resolving” the issue.
The girl’s family said that the incident took place last week on Thursday. Her father said, “They… sexually assaulted her… And after that they held a panchayat to give out meagre punishment. I was told the boys threatened her… She took it to heart and felt that she had been insulted on all ends and hanged herself.”
About the matter, Aligarh SSP, Muniraj G said, “On Saturday, the police was informed that a minor has committed suicide in an Aligarh village. When we investigated, we were told by the deceased’s family members that she had been gangraped in the village itself. Prima facie it appears that a panchayat was also held to resolve the issue. Two persons have been arrested and action against those will also be taken those who participated in the village panchayat if they are found linked to abetment of suicide.”
According to Hindi news website Uttam Hindu, the panchayat announced that the men involved in the incident should be beaten with shoes by the victim and shamed by blackening their faces. The hapless girl did as she was told and the boys were left with a mere warning. That the panchayat felt this punishment equivalent for the crime, is appalling.
According to the publication, the girl was returning home from the washroom when the incident happened. This was when two boys followed her, covered her face and dragged her away, raped and left her with a threat that she shouldn’t speak about the incident to anyone.
The attitude of the villagers left her feeling wronged and distressed and she decided to end her life. The deceased’s body has now been sent for a postmortem and the police say that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators.
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