A rape survivor has been fined ₹5,000 by a panchayat in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur district for “bringing disrepute to the village”, by informing the police.
The panchayat said that the survivor should have accepted their way of justice which comprised of penalising both the accused ₹5,000 each.
The cops have started investigating the case and have arrested the two suspects.
What Has Happened?
The woman, after a scuffle with her elder brother, left her house and went to a relative’s place to spend the night. It was there that the two men – Kishore and Sandeep, familiar to her, approached for labour work.
The very next day, the duo called the survivor to a deserted construction site and raped her. Both warned her of dire consequences if she discloses the matter. The 23-year-old survivor after she reached home narrated the whole incident to her mother.
Mother and daughter went to police to inform them but did not file a written complaint. They left the station saying they will return to file the complaint.
However, the news spread in the village and the panchayat called for a meeting on November 14. After hearing the incident, the panchayat penalised the two culprits and said that the woman is also equally responsible as she went to the police.
Two days later, the woman gathered courage and went to the cops to file a written complaint and she alleged that the panchayat is pressurising her to withdraw the case.
