NCPCR takes cognisance of beating, parading of rape survivor, accused in MP

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked the Madhya Pradesh Police to submit a report with 24 hours on the alleged thrashing and parading of a 16-year-old rape survivor with the man accused of raping her in the state’s Alirajpur district.

A purported video of the assault and parading went viral on social media on Sunday and provoked outrage.

Police superintendent Vijay Bhagwani said the survivor’s brother, uncle and cousin are among the six booked for parading and assaulting the two under Indian Penal Code’s sections 294 (obscene act in public places), 355 (assault or criminal force with intent to dishonour a person), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation). “The accused and the 16-year-old victim used to work together as labourers in Gujarat. They returned to their village a few days ago. The family members on Saturday came to know that the girl was raped by the accused. Instead of informing the police, they thrashed the survivor and the accused on Saturday and paraded them in the public on Sunday morning.”

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Police said the survivor has been shifted to a government-run shelter home for women.

Alirajpur collector Surabhi Gupta, “A Child Welfare Committee is counselling her. We have done her medical examination and she did not sustain any grievous injuries. The girl is fine now. The girl’s parents want to take her back home, but we will observe her and will make a decision accordingly because there are chances that the girl can be pressurised to take her complaint back.”

The rape accused has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s section 376 (rape) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act.