Dalit farmer dies by suicide, kin allege inaction by police in daughter’s ‘rape’

A 44-YEAR-OLD Dalit farmer in Pilibhit district died by suicide on Tuesday night after the police allegedly refused to take action in a case related to the alleged abduction and rape of his 15-year-old daughter. The girl (15) was allegedly abducted on May 9 by three men and taken to a place where she was allegedly raped by one of them.

She had returned the next day, after her father submitted a complaint at the local police station, but no FIR was registered, the family has alleged.

Speaking to mediapersons after his father’s suicide, the farmer’s son told mediapersons, “Three-four youths kidnapped my sister, and they kept her for one night… We went to get a case registered, but the police didn’t take action. No one heard our pleas. We had submitted a complaint on May 9 night. My father killed himself on May 17.”

The latest complaint submitted by the girl’s brother says, “On May 9, three men abducted my sister. They took her to a relative’s house and locked her in a room and one of them raped her. A relative of the main accused then dropped her at our village and put pressure on us to not lodge a case. The accused also said that if we pursue the case, they will get us framed in a false case. On May 16, they even filed a false complaint against my father in which they claimed that the youth (main accused) had consumed poison. Troubled by this, my father killed himself on May 17. My father was forced to commit suicide by the four people.”

A total of four people — the three youths who allegedly abducted the girl — and a relative of the main accused have been named in the FIR. The case, lodged on Wednesday evening, against the four has been lodged under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping), 376 (rape), 306 (abetment of suicide), 342 (wrongful confinement), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), and under relevant sections of the POCSO Act and Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The accused belong to the OBC community.

Asked about allegations levelled by family members that the farmer died by suicide over “inaction” from police, Pilibhit Superintendent of Police Atul Sharma said, “We got information about a suicide on May 9. The local police reached the spot and conducted an investigation. It was found that a week or 10 days days ago, the man’s minor daughter had disappeared and the family had informed the local police. Within 24 hours, the girl and the youth she had gone with were brought to the police station by a relative of the girl. We have been informed that both sides reached a compromise. We have now been told that the two sides had an argument later. That may have been the reason the man ended his life. All reasons are being taken into consideration.”

He said that a complaint was submitted by the family after the suicide and a case has been lodged. “Regarding allegations that a case was not lodged earlier over the disappearance of the girl, I have told the Additional SP to investigate the issue, and he has been told to submit a report within 24 hours. Any officer found guilty of laxity… They will face strict action from me,” added Sharma.

Courtesy : Indian express

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