Officials swing into action after rape victim gets penalty diktat

Girl raped when she was 16; her brother, the only surviving member of her family, refuses to let her come home; khap panchayat-like justice was given a week ago

BENGALURU: The officials of the Department of Women and Child Development swung into action a day after Express carried a report about the leaders of a community in Ramanagara district demanding `20,000 as penalty from a rape victim if she wished to be integrated into the society.
This khap panchayat-like justice was given a week ago by the community heads.
Now 18 years old, the girl was raped when she was 16 in Channapatna taluk. She became pregnant after the incident following which the Child Welfare Committee shifted her to a State Girls Home in Mysuru.
She was subsequently shifted to a girls home in Ramanagara when she turned 18. Her brother, the only surviving member of her family, refuses to let her come home.

Official sources in the Women and Child Development department said its deputy director sent anganawadi supervisor Sulochana to the village in Channapatna taluk on Monday to record the victim’s statement.  The supervisor was also instructed to hold talks with local elected representatives and the victim’s brother who is not allowing her to come home. Sulochana recorded the statement of the girl and also held talks with
local gram panchayat members but could not meet the victim’s brother.
Sources said that the members of Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and Women and Child Development department are likely to visit the village on Tuesday or Wednesday and meet the victim and her community leaders to solve the matter.

The victim told Express about her ordeal when she returned to the village from the Girls Home in Ramanagara.She said she requested the anganwadi official to convey her plight to authorities concerned and rehabilitate her. She also demanded rehabilitation of victims like her so that they can lead a respectable life.  

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