News Analysis India

Tag: NCW

  • Manipur viral video: No response from state authorities despite reaching out thrice, says NCW chief

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday said she had reached out thrice in the last three months to authorities in Manipur over incidents of violence against women but no response was received from them.

    She was responding to reports in a section of the media that claimed the commission had on June 12 received a complaint about the incident of two women being paraded naked on May 4 in the ethnic violence-hit northeastern state but had not taken any action.

    The May 4 video surfaced online on July 19. Sharma denied receiving any report of the incident.

    However, the NCW chief said that she had received other complaints regarding women’s issues and for that, she had reached out thrice to authorities in Manipur but no response was received from them.

    ALSO READ | Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon; Rajnath says govt ready for discussion on Manipur incidents

    She also shared the letters sent to authorities in the state. Sharma had written to them over complaints of incidents of violence against women.

    ALSO READ | PM should make an elaborate statement on Manipur in Parliament: Mallikarjun Kharge

    “We had to verify the authenticity, and also the complaints were not from Manipur, some were not even from India. We reached out to authorities but no response was received from them but then we took suo motu cognisance when the video (of women being paraded naked) went viral yesterday,” Sharma said.

    ALSO READ | Manipur viral video: CM Biren Singh says capital punishment considered against culprits

    The letters were written on May 18, May 29 and June 19.

    The NCW chief said she took suo motu cognisance of the incident on Friday after the video surfaced and sought an explanation from authorities on the matter.

    Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after the May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a group of men from the other side.

    NEW DELHI: National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson Rekha Sharma on Friday said she had reached out thrice in the last three months to authorities in Manipur over incidents of violence against women but no response was received from them.

    She was responding to reports in a section of the media that claimed the commission had on June 12 received a complaint about the incident of two women being paraded naked on May 4 in the ethnic violence-hit northeastern state but had not taken any action.

    The May 4 video surfaced online on July 19. Sharma denied receiving any report of the incident.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    However, the NCW chief said that she had received other complaints regarding women’s issues and for that, she had reached out thrice to authorities in Manipur but no response was received from them.

    ALSO READ | Lok Sabha adjourned till 12 noon; Rajnath says govt ready for discussion on Manipur incidents

    She also shared the letters sent to authorities in the state. Sharma had written to them over complaints of incidents of violence against women.

    ALSO READ | PM should make an elaborate statement on Manipur in Parliament: Mallikarjun Kharge

    “We had to verify the authenticity, and also the complaints were not from Manipur, some were not even from India. We reached out to authorities but no response was received from them but then we took suo motu cognisance when the video (of women being paraded naked) went viral yesterday,” Sharma said.

    ALSO READ | Manipur viral video: CM Biren Singh says capital punishment considered against culprits

    The letters were written on May 18, May 29 and June 19.

    The NCW chief said she took suo motu cognisance of the incident on Friday after the video surfaced and sought an explanation from authorities on the matter.

    Tension mounted in the hills of Manipur after the May 4 video surfaced on Wednesday showing two women from one of the warring communities being paraded naked by a group of men from the other side.

  • NCRB data on human trafficking in Kashmir just the tip of iceberg: NCW chief 

    Sharma said the purpose of holding the workshop in Kashmir was to make people aware of the menace of human trafficking. SRINAGAR: The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Thursday said human trafficking increased by 15.56 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir last year as compared to the 2021-22 financial year but it is “just the tip of an iceberg”.

    “In the last few years, we have seen in Kashmir also that women are getting targeted. The NCRB data shows that it has increased 15. 56 per cent last year compared to 2021-22. And this is just the tip of the iceberg because the data does not give the true picture,” Sharma said, ahead of the anti-human trafficking workshop organised by the NCW here.

    @NCWIndia’s National Seminar on Anti-Human Trafficking Awareness in collaboration with Social Welfare Dept, Govt of J&K & Jammu Kashmir Police today. The seminar aims to bring together experts, NGOs, & other stakeholders in the fight against human trafficking. @sharmarekha pic.twitter.com/XZnniaTCyI
    — NCW (@NCWIndia) April 27, 2023

    Sharma said the purpose of holding the workshop in Kashmir was to make people aware of the menace of human trafficking.

    “We must now work to save our daughters and our children. This is the main purpose of making it (workshop) happen in Kashmir,” she said.

    “Human trafficking is a serious crime and it does not have boundaries whether it is Kashmir or Kanyakumari. This is prevalent everywhere. And sometimes, the victims of the trafficking do not even know that they are the victims,” Sharma said.

    “The main problem is due to lack of awareness. This is our first of its kind programme in Jammu and Kashmir where all the forces — state commissions, NGOs — are together to make people aware, especially the students, that nobody is out of reach of this problem,” the NCW chief said.

    Sharma said the women were being trafficked under the pretext of being provided well-paying jobs.

    “They give false promises of jobs here, or elsewhere in India, but they don’t get paid properly and are abused. Even in Kashmir, trafficking through marriage has increased. Women are coming from West Bengal for jobs but then they are married forcibly to somebody who sexually abuses them,” she said, adding that a short film on this topic will also be screened here.

    Asked when the Women’s Commission in Jammu and Kashmir will be restored, she said the Centre is planning something along those lines.

    “I think the process is on. Otherwise, when the state assembly is there or the state government is there, they nominate the state commission but they (Centre) are thinking something out of the box,” she said without giving further details.

  • Have sought action taken report from Delhi Police: NCW chief on charges against WFI head

    By PTI

    SRINAGAR: National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Thursday said she has sought an action taken report from the Delhi Police Commissioner on the complaints filed by women wrestlers about alleged sexual harassment.

    “We are not talking to the media doesn’t mean we are not doing anything about it. We have written to the commissioner of Delhi Police, asking for an action taken report. We have also asked them why they have not registered an FIR,” Sharma said on the sidelines of an anti-trafficking workshop here.

    She said the commission has received a complaint and acted on it.

    “There were security issues of the complainants also involved as they did not want their names to be given out. That’s why we did not talk to the media about it,” Sharma added.

    The country’s top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, are on a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi since Sunday, demanding public disclosure of the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

    Following allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation against Brij Bhushan by the top wrestlers, the sports ministry formed the six-member oversight committee headed by Olympic medallist boxer MC Mary Kom to run the affairs of WFI and probe into the matter.

    SRINAGAR: National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson Rekha Sharma on Thursday said she has sought an action taken report from the Delhi Police Commissioner on the complaints filed by women wrestlers about alleged sexual harassment.

    “We are not talking to the media doesn’t mean we are not doing anything about it. We have written to the commissioner of Delhi Police, asking for an action taken report. We have also asked them why they have not registered an FIR,” Sharma said on the sidelines of an anti-trafficking workshop here.

    She said the commission has received a complaint and acted on it.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “There were security issues of the complainants also involved as they did not want their names to be given out. That’s why we did not talk to the media about it,” Sharma added.

    The country’s top wrestlers, including Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat, are on a sit-in protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi since Sunday, demanding public disclosure of the findings of the oversight panel that investigated the sexual harassment allegations against the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.

    Following allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation against Brij Bhushan by the top wrestlers, the sports ministry formed the six-member oversight committee headed by Olympic medallist boxer MC Mary Kom to run the affairs of WFI and probe into the matter.

  • Enough evidence of girls being forced into prostitution in Rajasthan: NCW

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women on Friday said there is “enough evidence” to suggest that young girls are being forced into prostitution in numerous districts of Rajasthan, with highways being the most common locations, and asked the Centre to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe possible child prostitution and trafficking racket. 

    The NCW, which had formed a two-member team following a report that in the Rajasthan area of Bhilwara, conflicts over loan repayments were purportedly resolved by auctioning off young women on stamp papers, said they have also found evidence of child marriages.

    NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma, who had earlier written to the state Chief Secretary and Director General of Police on the matter, also visited Sawai Madhopur to inquire into the situation.

    Following interactions with different families residing in the region, police and local administration, the two-member team said that “there is enough evidence to conclude that young girls are being forced into prostitution in numerous districts of Rajasthan, including Sawai Madhopur, Bhilwara, and Bharatpur, with highway sides being the most common locations.” 

    The team also discovered that the family registrations in the Bhilwara district village of Kanjar Basti, Pander, which were supposed to be updated, were deficient in key details about how many families are residing there. 

    NCW said that the communities provided further evidence that child marriages are still common in the state, as the local media had reported such instances. “The district administration and police are totally in denial and have failed to address the issue,” a statement issued by the NCW said.

    “Due to threats from the Panchayat and local government, the people are under pressure to conceal the true extent of child prostitution and trafficking,” it added and recommended that the central government must constitute an SIT to carry out the probe.

    During interaction with families, it was observed that every family had six to nine minor girls living under one roof. These girls could not explain their relationship with others in the family. 

    “To establish the relationship, DNA tests on young girls and their respective families must be performed. It is crucial to rescue and provide proper rehabilitation to minor girls who have been coerced into forced prostitution,” it further said.

    The women’s panel also said that Rajasthan seems to be both a source and a destination for the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation, prostitution, etc. 

    Suggesting that the state government should keep a track record of every girl child who is born, it said that enforcement agencies must be proactive in dealing with such issues. 

    “Economic livelihood activities and awareness programs pertaining to the mental and physical health of girls must be focused to improve the condition,” it added.

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women on Friday said there is “enough evidence” to suggest that young girls are being forced into prostitution in numerous districts of Rajasthan, with highways being the most common locations, and asked the Centre to constitute a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe possible child prostitution and trafficking racket. 

    The NCW, which had formed a two-member team following a report that in the Rajasthan area of Bhilwara, conflicts over loan repayments were purportedly resolved by auctioning off young women on stamp papers, said they have also found evidence of child marriages.

    NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma, who had earlier written to the state Chief Secretary and Director General of Police on the matter, also visited Sawai Madhopur to inquire into the situation.

    Following interactions with different families residing in the region, police and local administration, the two-member team said that “there is enough evidence to conclude that young girls are being forced into prostitution in numerous districts of Rajasthan, including Sawai Madhopur, Bhilwara, and Bharatpur, with highway sides being the most common locations.” 

    The team also discovered that the family registrations in the Bhilwara district village of Kanjar Basti, Pander, which were supposed to be updated, were deficient in key details about how many families are residing there. 

    NCW said that the communities provided further evidence that child marriages are still common in the state, as the local media had reported such instances. “The district administration and police are totally in denial and have failed to address the issue,” a statement issued by the NCW said.

    “Due to threats from the Panchayat and local government, the people are under pressure to conceal the true extent of child prostitution and trafficking,” it added and recommended that the central government must constitute an SIT to carry out the probe.

    During interaction with families, it was observed that every family had six to nine minor girls living under one roof. These girls could not explain their relationship with others in the family. 

    “To establish the relationship, DNA tests on young girls and their respective families must be performed. It is crucial to rescue and provide proper rehabilitation to minor girls who have been coerced into forced prostitution,” it further said.

    The women’s panel also said that Rajasthan seems to be both a source and a destination for the trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation, prostitution, etc. 

    Suggesting that the state government should keep a track record of every girl child who is born, it said that enforcement agencies must be proactive in dealing with such issues. 

    “Economic livelihood activities and awareness programs pertaining to the mental and physical health of girls must be focused to improve the condition,” it added.

  • Rajasthan DGP claims keeping tabs on crimes against women amid girls’ ‘auction’ allegations

    By PTI

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Director-General of Police ML Lather on Saturday said the police were keeping a watch on atrocities against women amid allegations of girls being auctioned off on stamp paper in some districts.

    He said the state government was sensitive to crimes against women and special attention was being paid to prevent and investigate such cases.

    The police are constantly monitoring and collecting intelligence at sensitive places regarding the trafficking of women and minors, the police chief said.

    “Earlier there was a social evil such as prostitution of women in some particular societies. These incidents have been controlled to a great extent by Rajasthan Police by keeping a constant vigil. As soon as information regarding these activities is received, legal action is immediately being taken,” he added.

    Referring to campaigns against such crimes, Lather said the police launched Operation Gudiya in Bhilwara district in 2019 in connection with the auctioning off of girls.

    The police put several kidnappers behind bars, he said, adding that they were operating a prostitution racket from bases in Itunda, Pandher, Hanuman Nagar in Bhilwara and Napakheda and Jaswant Nagar in Sanwar police station area of Ajmer.

    ALSO READ | NCW forms fact-finding team to probe ‘auction’ of girls on stamp paper in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara

    The investigation also found the gang’s links to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The police conducted several raids in these states and arrested several accused. They also rescued seven girls, including minors.

    A charge sheet in the case against 25 accused has already been presented in court, Lather said in a statement.

    Rajasthan State Commission for Women has sought from the Bhilwara collector and Superintendent of Police a report amid allegations of girls being auctioned off to settle disputes over loan repayments in the district.

    The National Commission for Women has also formed a two-member fact-finding team to look into the allegations.

    JAIPUR: Rajasthan Director-General of Police ML Lather on Saturday said the police were keeping a watch on atrocities against women amid allegations of girls being auctioned off on stamp paper in some districts.

    He said the state government was sensitive to crimes against women and special attention was being paid to prevent and investigate such cases.

    The police are constantly monitoring and collecting intelligence at sensitive places regarding the trafficking of women and minors, the police chief said.

    “Earlier there was a social evil such as prostitution of women in some particular societies. These incidents have been controlled to a great extent by Rajasthan Police by keeping a constant vigil. As soon as information regarding these activities is received, legal action is immediately being taken,” he added.

    Referring to campaigns against such crimes, Lather said the police launched Operation Gudiya in Bhilwara district in 2019 in connection with the auctioning off of girls.

    The police put several kidnappers behind bars, he said, adding that they were operating a prostitution racket from bases in Itunda, Pandher, Hanuman Nagar in Bhilwara and Napakheda and Jaswant Nagar in Sanwar police station area of Ajmer.

    ALSO READ | NCW forms fact-finding team to probe ‘auction’ of girls on stamp paper in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara

    The investigation also found the gang’s links to Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. The police conducted several raids in these states and arrested several accused. They also rescued seven girls, including minors.

    A charge sheet in the case against 25 accused has already been presented in court, Lather said in a statement.

    Rajasthan State Commission for Women has sought from the Bhilwara collector and Superintendent of Police a report amid allegations of girls being auctioned off to settle disputes over loan repayments in the district.

    The National Commission for Women has also formed a two-member fact-finding team to look into the allegations.

  • Ghaziabad woman who levelled ‘fabricated’ gang-rape charge arrested 

    By PTI

    GHAZIABAD: A woman who had allegedly levelled a “fabricated” gang-rape charge in an attempt to grab property was arrested on Saturday, a day after police booked her and three of her accomplices for cheating and forgery.

    The Delhi woman had claimed that she was kidnapped and raped by five men for two days.

    “The woman was arrested by our police team. She was presented before a magistrate to record her statement. The court has sent her to 14 days in judicial custody,” Superintendent of Police (City-I) Ghaziabad Nipun Agarwal said.

    Her accomplices Azad, Afzal and Gaurav were arrested earlier.

    On Friday, police had said that the woman, Azad, Afzal and Gaurav have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to cheating, forgery and fraudulently using genuine documents.

    They have been charged under IPC sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (fraudulently using as genuine document which the person knows or has reason to believe to be forged), Circle Officer, City-2, Ghaziabad, Alok Dubey, had said.

    ALSO READ | Gang-rape claim ‘fabricated’; woman’s allegation ploy to grab property: Ghaziabad police 

    Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday had said that the 36-year-old woman was found wrapped in a jute bag, with her hands and legs tied, and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts.

    However, during a press conference on Thursday, the Ghaziabad police dismissed as “fabricated” the woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by the five men and said a conspiracy had been hatched over a dispute over a “small” property.

    Of the five, four were arrested.

    During the conference, when asked if a clean chit will be given to the four persons, Inspector General (IG), Meerut, Praveen Kumar, had said, “We have not got any evidence against them. Prima facie, in this case, no such incident has taken place. So, there is no question of getting evidence.”

    The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday had said that contradictory statements were made by the woman and her family members.

    On the women’s claim that she was kidnapped, IG Kumar had said,” No. She had gone to a designated place at her own will. Chats analysed by police also show that money was also paid to individuals to publicise the case,” he had said.

    Kumar had also said that during the investigation, it was found that Azad’s phone was switched off around the time the woman purportedly disappeared.

    On the property dispute, he said the dispute was about a “small” property.

    The NCW had said that police said the incident was planned to implicate the five men, the initial suspects, who had a property dispute with the woman.

    ALSO READ | Woman who levelled ‘fabricated’ gang-rape charge booked along with 3 others

    “Evidence also suggests that (payment of) Rs 5,000 were also made to sensationalise the case in the media,” it said.

    The property dispute is subjudice at the Karkardooma district court in Delhi.

    The present three suspects (Azad, Afzal and Gaurav) and the woman planned to implicate gang-rape charges against the five men, an NCW official had said.

    IG Kumar had also said that “a woman named Sameena gave the property to Azad in 2021 who in turn gave its power of attorney to a man named Deepak Joshi”.

    “There was talk about giving this property to the Delhi woman. The case regarding this was going on in the court,” the officer had said.

    Authorities at the GTB Hospital had on Wednesday said the woman’s condition is stable and no internal injury has been found.

    The NCW official had said that “also, the hospital told us that in preliminary medical examination, no semen was found on the victim”.

    Police have also told the commission that the Delhi woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by five men is “false”, the official had said.

    GHAZIABAD: A woman who had allegedly levelled a “fabricated” gang-rape charge in an attempt to grab property was arrested on Saturday, a day after police booked her and three of her accomplices for cheating and forgery.

    The Delhi woman had claimed that she was kidnapped and raped by five men for two days.

    “The woman was arrested by our police team. She was presented before a magistrate to record her statement. The court has sent her to 14 days in judicial custody,” Superintendent of Police (City-I) Ghaziabad Nipun Agarwal said.

    Her accomplices Azad, Afzal and Gaurav were arrested earlier.

    On Friday, police had said that the woman, Azad, Afzal and Gaurav have been booked under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections pertaining to cheating, forgery and fraudulently using genuine documents.

    They have been charged under IPC sections 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 467 (forgery of valuable security), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) and 471 (fraudulently using as genuine document which the person knows or has reason to believe to be forged), Circle Officer, City-2, Ghaziabad, Alok Dubey, had said.

    ALSO READ | Gang-rape claim ‘fabricated’; woman’s allegation ploy to grab property: Ghaziabad police 

    Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal on Wednesday had said that the 36-year-old woman was found wrapped in a jute bag, with her hands and legs tied, and an iron rod was inserted in her private parts.

    However, during a press conference on Thursday, the Ghaziabad police dismissed as “fabricated” the woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by the five men and said a conspiracy had been hatched over a dispute over a “small” property.

    Of the five, four were arrested.

    During the conference, when asked if a clean chit will be given to the four persons, Inspector General (IG), Meerut, Praveen Kumar, had said, “We have not got any evidence against them. Prima facie, in this case, no such incident has taken place. So, there is no question of getting evidence.”

    The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Friday had said that contradictory statements were made by the woman and her family members.

    On the women’s claim that she was kidnapped, IG Kumar had said,” No. She had gone to a designated place at her own will. Chats analysed by police also show that money was also paid to individuals to publicise the case,” he had said.

    Kumar had also said that during the investigation, it was found that Azad’s phone was switched off around the time the woman purportedly disappeared.

    On the property dispute, he said the dispute was about a “small” property.

    The NCW had said that police said the incident was planned to implicate the five men, the initial suspects, who had a property dispute with the woman.

    ALSO READ | Woman who levelled ‘fabricated’ gang-rape charge booked along with 3 others

    “Evidence also suggests that (payment of) Rs 5,000 were also made to sensationalise the case in the media,” it said.

    The property dispute is subjudice at the Karkardooma district court in Delhi.

    The present three suspects (Azad, Afzal and Gaurav) and the woman planned to implicate gang-rape charges against the five men, an NCW official had said.

    IG Kumar had also said that “a woman named Sameena gave the property to Azad in 2021 who in turn gave its power of attorney to a man named Deepak Joshi”.

    “There was talk about giving this property to the Delhi woman. The case regarding this was going on in the court,” the officer had said.

    Authorities at the GTB Hospital had on Wednesday said the woman’s condition is stable and no internal injury has been found.

    The NCW official had said that “also, the hospital told us that in preliminary medical examination, no semen was found on the victim”.

    Police have also told the commission that the Delhi woman’s claim that she had been raped and brutalised by five men is “false”, the official had said.

  • Dumka case: NCW says claims that police deliberately increased victim’s age false

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A fact-finding team of the NCW has found the allegation that the Jharkhand Police deliberately increased the age of the girl who died after being set ablaze by a man in Dumka district false.

    The discrepancy was due to “miscommunication” at the time of recording the victim’s dying declaration, the National Commission for Women said.

    The accused allegedly poured petrol on the girl, who did not reciprocate his overtures, from outside the window of her room when she was sleeping and set her on fire in Dumka on August 23.

    The NCW had constituted a two-member fact-finding team to inquire into the incident.

    In its report, the NCW said the reported allegation that police increased the age of the victim to protect the accused was found to be false.

    “The confusion regarding the age of the girl was created due to miscommunication at the time of recording of the dying declaration,” it said.

    The NCW said it had observed that there was a discrepancy in the documentation and that the victim’s date of birth mentioned in the secondary school examination shall be deemed to be valid.

    “The confusion regarding the degree of burn as alleged in the media reports was clarified after discussion with different authorities.

    Phulo Jhano Medical College, Dumka had stated the burns to be less than 90 per cent, while the doctors of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi have informed that the burns were 60-65 per cent,” it added.

    The commission noted that Phulo Jhano Medical College and RIMS lacked the basic infrastructure for the treatment of patients with severe burns.

    “The State Government may be recommended to improve the hospitals’ infrastructure to provide the best treatment in such exigency,” it said.

    The NCW also recommended that the Jharkhand government may take steps to create awareness among people to approach police regarding less grievous matters to avoid unfortunate incidents in the future.

    “The police were requested by the team to take action as per the cyber law to protect the dignity of the deceased as several morphed photos of the deceased and accused were being circulated on social media,” it said.

    Journalists present at the house of the deceased were requested by the NCW team to avoid using morphed photos in their reports, the NCW said.

    NEW DELHI: A fact-finding team of the NCW has found the allegation that the Jharkhand Police deliberately increased the age of the girl who died after being set ablaze by a man in Dumka district false.

    The discrepancy was due to “miscommunication” at the time of recording the victim’s dying declaration, the National Commission for Women said.

    The accused allegedly poured petrol on the girl, who did not reciprocate his overtures, from outside the window of her room when she was sleeping and set her on fire in Dumka on August 23.

    The NCW had constituted a two-member fact-finding team to inquire into the incident.

    In its report, the NCW said the reported allegation that police increased the age of the victim to protect the accused was found to be false.

    “The confusion regarding the age of the girl was created due to miscommunication at the time of recording of the dying declaration,” it said.

    The NCW said it had observed that there was a discrepancy in the documentation and that the victim’s date of birth mentioned in the secondary school examination shall be deemed to be valid.

    “The confusion regarding the degree of burn as alleged in the media reports was clarified after discussion with different authorities.

    Phulo Jhano Medical College, Dumka had stated the burns to be less than 90 per cent, while the doctors of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi have informed that the burns were 60-65 per cent,” it added.

    The commission noted that Phulo Jhano Medical College and RIMS lacked the basic infrastructure for the treatment of patients with severe burns.

    “The State Government may be recommended to improve the hospitals’ infrastructure to provide the best treatment in such exigency,” it said.

    The NCW also recommended that the Jharkhand government may take steps to create awareness among people to approach police regarding less grievous matters to avoid unfortunate incidents in the future.

    “The police were requested by the team to take action as per the cyber law to protect the dignity of the deceased as several morphed photos of the deceased and accused were being circulated on social media,” it said.

    Journalists present at the house of the deceased were requested by the NCW team to avoid using morphed photos in their reports, the NCW said.

  • National Commission for Women to bring out SOP on rescue and rehabilitation of trafficked girls

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: As each state has its own rules and laws on rescue and rehabilitation of a trafficked women, the National Commission for Women (NCW) plans to come out with a standard operating procedure (SOP) for Anti Human Trafficking Units (AHTUs) to stop human trafficking in the country.

    The SOP will guide not only the police, women welfare agencies, but NGOs too in prevention, rescue and their rehabilitation also. In this regard, the NCW will be holding various workshops with stakeholders, including with different state police, to bring out a SOP which could be implemented throughout the country.

    The AHTUs, which was launched in 2007 by drawing personnel from the police and other related departments, with the funding by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, is an integrated task force. Speaking at a seminar on anti-human trafficking awareness, NCW Chairperson, Rekha Sharma said that their “focus is on prevention of trafficking” of girls and women.

    She said that NCW has set up its own Anti-Human Trafficking Cell (AHTC) with the aim to improve effectiveness in tackling cases of human trafficking, raising awareness among women and girls, capacity building and training of Anti-Trafficking Units and to increase responsiveness of law enforcement agencies.

    Sharma said they will seek help from all stakeholders to come out with a SOP, which will become a guiding principle in rescue and rehabilitation of women. According to government data, 696 AHTUs have been established in various states and union territories in the country till 2020.

    National Resource Centre of Human Trafficking, Raksha Shakti University, Ahmedabad advisor and expert resource faculty Dr. PM Nair said that there should be a single window for grievance redressals.

    He stressed the need for a joint training of not only police, judiciary, prosecution department, but NGOs and other welfare agencies, including District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) also to create a synergy between them.

    Nair said that Anti-Human Trafficking Cell should be set-up in colleges as there is a need for a youth movement against human trafficking. He said these clubs – opened in many colleges in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – will not only help in prevention, but will also address demand.

    The former police officer, who is an international expert on human trafficking, said that the constitution of AHT Club in a colleges will create awareness among the youth, and will empower adolescents to understand exploitation of all kinds, including online.

    If men stop ‘demand’, there will be no trafficking for sexual exploitation, he added.

  • Notice to UP police over woman’s death

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  Taking cognisance of a woman found hanging from the wall of a private hospital in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Sunday asked the state police to arrest the accused persons immediately. The family of the deceased has alleged that she was raped and then murdered.

    NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to Uttar Pradesh DGP to file an FIR against the accused persons immediately. The panel has sought the arrest of all the accused and a copy of the postmortem report. “Action taken must be apprised within seven days,” it said.

    The body of a woman, said to be a nurse, was found hanging from the wall of a private hospital, which opened last week, in Unnao on Saturday. Police have named three persons, including the owner of the hospital, as accused. Police, however, said rape was not confirmed during the autopsy. 

  • NCW writes to Home Minister Amit Shah on alleged atrocities against women in West Bengal

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Women has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah seeking his intervention in the alleged brutalities and violence committed against women in West Bengal.

    The NCW said it has received a joint memorandum from the All India Democratic Women’s Association, National Federation of Indian Women and All India Progressive Women’s Association claiming that women in West Bengal are facing an extremely insecure atmosphere and activists of the ruling TMC have unleashed a reign of terror.

    The memorandum, which has a district-wise list of incidents of atrocities against women, sought immediate steps to end the alleged brutalities and violence against them, the NCW said.

    It has also been alleged that the state administration and police are either silent spectators or in connivance with the perpetrators.

    In some incidents, male police personnel have misbehaved and molested women, according to the memorandum.

    The women’s associations have requested the NCW to intervene in the matter.

    The Commission said it is extremely concerned with the increasing cases of violence and brutalities against women in the state.

    “Chairperson Rekha Sharma has written to the home minister seeking intervention in the matter to ensure the safety and security of the women in the state. A copy of the letter has also been sent to the chief secretary and director general of police, West Bengal,” the NCW said in a statement.