“They tried to cover my mouth so I couldn’t cry for help,” the rape survivor told dna . Her father-in-law added, “They have done a grave injustice to our family.”
Even as most of India geared up for New Year celebrations, merely a hundred kilometres from the national capital, the Uttar Pradesh police were trying to trace two men who allegedly sexually assaulted a married woman and were later ‘let off’ following a village panchayat hearing.
The incident was reported in the afternoon of December 17 from Todarpur village in Hapur district. A 27-year-old woman, who had just purchased medicines for her child from a local chemist, was offered a lift by two men who found her walking towards her village. The men also belonged to Todarpur.
The village, which lacks a proper public transport system, was hardly three kilometres away when the duo allegedly took a wrong turn and directed their vehicle towards a field. The woman cried for help but due to the isolated location of the field it took quite a time before anyone could reach her. But when finally a crowd gathered at the spot, the accused ran away.
“They tried to cover my mouth so I couldn’t cry for help,” the rape survivor told dna . Her father-in-law added, “They have done a grave injustice to our family.”
Her husband, a labourer, was not available to speak to dna but according to his family, police had been calling him to the station regularly following the incident.
However, this is only one of the few charges that the police have been accused of here.
According to some villagers, soon after the incident, the rape survivor, went to the police and her complaint was not filed. Instead, a panchayat was held after the families of the accused convinced the village elders for a public trial. Police have vehemently denied this charge.
Sajid Ali, a resident who is also a lawyer, told dna that the panchayat was held soon after the incident and it was decided that the two accused, identified as Rizwan Ahmed and Wahab, were to pay a sum of Rs five lakh towards the victim. When the accused failed to do so, the panchayat decided that the accused leave the village for a period of five years. This was after they were to be slapped by the rape survivor multiple times by hand and five times by one of her shoes.
“The families of the accused have also left the village. Police are not trying to find them,” said Ali.
The aggrieved woman denied asking for any money. “I just want them to be punished by the courts,” she said.While the police maintained that it had taken timely action, the fact that a medical test was conducted on the survivor almost two weeks after the incident speaks otherwise.
While the police maintained that it had taken timely action, the fact that a medical test was conducted on the survivor almost two weeks after the incident speaks otherwise.
“An FIR was lodged on December 25 and we have been trying to nab the accused since then,” said Circular Officer Shailendra Singh.
“A police party has been set up to hunt for the two accused and we are hopeful that they will be arrested soon. Tomorrow, the victim will be taken to a magistrate for recording her statement,” Singh added.
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