Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought a judicial inquiry report on the unnatural death/suicide of a poor dalit girl of Kunduli, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by security personnel.
Acting on the petition and subsequent submissions filed by social activist and Supreme Court lawyer Radhakanta Tripathy, the NHRC had earlier sent its own investigation team to probe the case.
The Crime Branch Criminal Investigation Department (CB-CID) submitted before the NHRC that betrayal by the boyfriend of the victim was the real reason behind the suicide and not gang-rape.
In the first hearing of the case November 23, 2017, the NHRC had sought an action taken report from Odisha DGP, and also asked its own investigation wing to place facts after telephonically talking to state officials.
Citing the contents of the FIR lodged in the case the report stated that the incident happened when the victim went to take a passport photo for its submission at Sharisapadar School.
The passport photo of the victim was submitted October 9 as admitted by teachers of the school.
The report quotes the findings of all hospitals starting from Kunduli CHC, Koraput DHH and MKCGH, Berhampur that “There is no sign of recent sexual intercourse and the hymen was intact. No tears found and no fresh bleeding at the time of examination of the complainant’s vagina.”
Tripathy told the NHRC, “If there was no rape and proper counselling was provided to the victim then why was the victim shifted from one hospital to another stating that her condition was critical. Finally she committed suicide despite tall claims of the government on counselling.”
Tripathy pointed out the clarification issued by the State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL), saying that the report as mentioned in the Crime Branch report was “not correct”.
“Why was her depression not found by medical professionals and the counsellor? Why was she not given clinical treatment despite recommendation from the medical board?” Tripathy asked.
The NHRC investigation team after a meticulous study sought the final judicial inquiry report and the investigation report of the state on the suicide of the deceased.
PNN