Kendrapara: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought clarification from state authorities over the gang rape of a minor girl and payment of compensation to her.
The NHRC passed the order based on a petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer and rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy and reports submitted by the state authorities subsequently.
The petitioner, Tripathy, alleged that the teenager, who was studying at the Badagaon Panchayat Samiti College, was gang raped by three youths July 17, 2017 after the youths forcibly took her to the second floor of an under-construction building in the college. But the police failed to take any action in this case.
Tripathy requested the NHRC to grant Rs10 lakh to the survivor and provide her psycho-social counselling.
The Commission called for a report from principal secretary, department of education and the Sundargarh SP earlier. In response to the order, the SP reported that July 17, 2017, the survivor belonging to an ST community, and a resident of Panchara village, had been dragged by Tapan Khilari with the help of Sanjay Rout from the college campus.
Two other students joined them and took her to a nearby hillock where Tapan Khilari raped her. Rakesh Ratha videographed the sexual assault and after that all the four fled from the spot.
The survivor came to the police station and based on her written complaint, the Badagaon police registered a case against Tapan Khilari, Sanjay Rout, Rajesh alias Rakesh Ratha and Vikas alias Dhananjay Sahu.
The accused were arrested and the survivor was sent to DHH for medical examination July 18, 2017. Tapan Khilari was sent to CHC Badagaon for medical examination.
The deputy secretary, school and mass education department, in his report stated that he was informed by the in-charge principal panchayat samiti junior college, Baragaon, that the survivor, a student of Plus Two first year, had lodged a case against Sanjay Rout, Tapan Khilari, Rakesh Ratha and Dhananjay Sahu on July 17, 2017.
The report said the incident had not taken place inside the college campus and all the four students arrested by the police were students of Panchayat Samiti Junior College and no outsider was involved.
The report said the girl now regularly attends classes and lady teachers have counselled her.
The SP was directed by NNRC to submit a report regarding payment of 25% of Rs 4 lakh after registration of an FIR and payment of 50% of Rs 8 lakh after her medical examination as per Annexure-I of the Schedule Cast/Schedule Tribe (POA) Rule, 1995 within six weeks.
In the report, the deputy secretary, department of school mass education
said the offence was committed not on the campus and the SP, has mentioned in his report that the survivor was dragged out by the accused from the campus.
The NHRC directed the secretary to submit a report within six weeks on how the students dragged out the girl from the college campus in broad daylight and what steps have been taken to prevent this kind of things in future.
PNN