NHRC notices to the DM and SSP, Ghaziabad, UP over police inaction in a case of gang rape under the influence of Panchayat (30.10.2014)

PRESS RELEASE

New Delhi, 30th October, 2014

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a village Panchayat of Muradnagar in District Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh was pressurizing the family of a class 10 student, who was gang raped by four youths of her village, not to file a complaint with the police. It ordered that the victim's family beat the culprits five times with shoes as punishment and let them go. Reportedly, the family was also threatened with dire consequences if it refused to obey the orders of the Panchayat.

The Commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the victim and her family member. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the District Magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police, Ghaziabad calling for reports within four weeks.

According to the media report, the girl was kidnapped by four youths of her village when she was returning to home from school on the 30th September, 2014. She was taken to a nearby field and was sexually assaulted. Though a complaint was lodged with the police naming all the four accused in the matter, but no FIR was registered by police in connivance with the culprits. Reportedly, the police was also pressurizing the family of the victim for a compromise.

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