The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has served notice on the District Magistrate and the Senior Superintendent of Police of Ghaziabad in a case of gang-rape which the Muradnagar village panchayat in the district allegedly tried to hush up by forcing the family of the victim not to seek justice.
Taking suo motu cognisance, the commission asked the two senior officials to file a report within a month. The commission swung into action after media reports said the panchayat had been pressuring the family of the Class 10 student, gang-raped allegedly by four youths of her village in September, not to file a complaint. The panchayat ordered that the family members beat the accused with shoes as punishment and let them go. The family members were allegedly threatened with dire consequences if they refused to obey the order.
Noting that the happenings, if true, were a serious issue of violation of human rights, the commission sought the report from the two officers.
ADVERTISEMENT
Media reports alleged that the panchayat and the police were hand in glove with the accused, who allegedly abducted the girl while she was returning from school and raped her.