Supreme Court seeks Chief Secretary report on Birbhum gang-rape case

The Supreme Court today directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary to respond on what action police has taken in the gangrape case of a young tribal woman by 13 villagers in the state's Birbhum district.

A bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, which went through the report of district judge of Birbhum on the incident, said it does not mention the police action taken in the case and asked the Chief Secretary to file response within two weeks. The bench had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident on January 24 and had directed the district judge to visit the place and file a report before it.
The gangrape of the 20-year-old woman was allegedly ordered by a kangaroo court as punishment for falling in love with a man outside the community.

The victim and her paramour were caught, tied to a tree and assaulted after which they were asked to pay a fine of Rs 50,000. The gangrape took place after the girl expressed her inability to pay the amount. The victim and her family members in their complaint before the police had said that among those who brutalised her were people old enough to be her father.
All the accused, including village head (known in the area as 'morol'), have been arrested. The rape allegedly took place inside the morol's house.