NHRC notice to Madhya Pradesh government, DGP over alleged rape of minor girl

By PTI
NEW DELHI: The NHRC has sent notices to the Madhya Pradesh government and the state police chief in connection with an  alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Umaria city, and sought a detailed report in four weeks, officials said.

The National Human Rights Commission in a statement also observed that the “gruesome incident” puts a “question mark” on the law and order situation in the region.

“The Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Umaria city of Madhya Pradesh and has directed issuance of notice to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh calling for a detailed report in the matter,” it said.

The detailed report has been sought in four weeks.

The report must include details regarding arrest of the remaining accused persons, counselling given to the victim, as well as relief and rehabilitation provided or proposed to be provided to the victim by the state authorities, the statement said.

The Commission has opined that this is a case of violation of human rights of the victim and it is apparent that the law enforcing agencies who are expected to provide a safe environment to the citizen have “failed in exercising their lawful duty”.

As mentioned in the news report, the girl was abducted on January 4 from a market in Umaria by a person known to her, and later on she was taken to a secluded place and “subjected to rape by nine persons for two days”, the rights panel said in the statement.

The girl was again abducted by one of the accused on January 11 and taken to a desolate place where five people, including three accused in the previous incident and two unidentified truck drivers, allegedly subjected her to rape for two days, it said, quoting the report.

The report also revealed that the victim was threatened with “dire consequences” due to which she did not report the matter to the police.

The mother of the girl has lodged a police complaint on January 14, following which seven of the accused have been arrested and the search of the remaining two is underway, the statement said.

The perpetrators in this case have committed the “heinous crime twice without having any fear of law violating human rights of the victim,” the NHRC observed.