Bekhauf Azaadi, Chandigarh-based women collective, has demanded a judicial probe on the allegations of gangrape of a Dalit girl and sexual harassment of her cousin in police custody in Sonipat’s Butana earlier this year.
A five-member fact-finding team from the collective, in its report, also sought immediate medical attention for the two girls and an independent probe by different commissions for human rights, women and minorities. The girls were arrested in connection with the murder of two policemen on June 30 in Butana village. The two were allegedly part of a gang of six persons — accused of murdering the two policemen. The prime accused, Amit, was later shot in an encounter.
The two girls surrendered, as per the fact-finding team report, and one of them was then allegedly raped by a dozen policemen. Her cousin was also stripped and assaulted. The victim’s mother registered a case in this connection at Sonipat Women police station. The girls are now in judicial custody.
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The fact-finding team said the murders should not be confused with the custodial gangrape of the victim. “At a time when we are witnessing erosion of long fought rights of survivors in matters of sexual violence whether it is in Hathras incident or Gurmandi case in Delhi, it is all the more important to recognise that patriarchy creates conditions that makes it more difficult to believe survivors in such matters,” the report concluded.
“The custodial and caste violence, actions of the police officers, continued harassment of the family members, cannot be ignored and need to be condemned. At each step, these police officers belonging to dominant caste have tried to intimidate the family by making assertions that they will never be able to prove anything against the police officers,” the report further said.