Nayagarh: In a horrendous incident that took place Thursday afternoon, a minor school girl and rape survivor was severely beaten in public by a Kangaroo court after being tied to an electric utility pole at a village under Ranpur police limits in Nayagarh district.
According to a source, the Class X student was abducted from her home and raped.
Following the incident, a meeting was called by the villagers to sort out the issue. The victim’s family was advised not to lodge an FIR at local police station.
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The family was under tremendous pressure over the incident. As the rape survivor was not given justice in the said meeting, family of the victim girl subsequently lodged an FIR with Ranpur police Wednesday seeking justice.
This move of the family annoyed some chiefs of the village and the girl was punished in the Kangaroo court. Parents of the girl were viewed to be at fault. After the designated court voiced for punishment, the rape survivor was dragged out from her home. She was then tied and beaten, the source added.
Meanwhile, several influential residents in the village exerted pressure on the girl’s parents to withdraw the FIR.
They have also warned the family members of dire consequences, in case the family would not do so. Even to the extent, mother of the minor was not spared and beaten after a number of people barged into their (the family’s) house.
The incident has created ruckus across Nayagarh district.
Besides, acting on the FIR and a case registered in this connection, Ranpur police have arrested seven accused persons including five women and forwarded them to a local court.
The arrested were identified as Dillip Kumar Totala (21), Rabi Parida (60), Ashanti alias Reena Parida (37), Sanju Parida (60), Sashi Parida (35), Manju Mata (55) and Sai Behera (55).
Later in the evening, all of the arrested were sent to Ranpur sub-jail after their bail pleas were rejected. The minor was dropped by the police at her home following a medical check-up.
When contacted, investigation officer (IO) in the case Preeti Prakash Mohanty said, “We have registered a case (No-77/2022) in connection with the rape under Sections 376(3)(2)(AN), 341, 294, 323, 342, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), under Sections 3(2)(V), 3(A), 3(1)(R)(S) of the POCSO Act and SC & ST Act.”
The case was registered against ten accused persons and at least seven of them have been forwarded to court, Mohanty added.
It is pertinent to mention, the minor victim was abducted by key accused in the case named Abaju Parida (32), about three months ago and raped at a secluded place near his house in the village.
The prime accused had then warned the rape survivor to not disclose anything about her plight.
However, the minor girl had narrated the ordeal to her parents. After the incident gradually came to the fore, residents of the village convened a meeting.
When police asked the key accused Abaju to meet IO in the case, the accused absconded instead.
PNN
