Madurai-based non-governmental organisation Evidence has appealed to the State government to provide a compensation of ₹ 25 lakh to the family of the 17-year-old speech and hearing-impaired girl, who was raped and murdered in Acharampatti near Tirupattur in Sivaganga district on Tuesday.
In its fact-finding report on the incident, the organisation has alleged that settling of rape cases through ‘kangaroo courts’ controlled by dominant caste people, instead of involving police, was widespread in the region.
A. Kathir, Executive Director, Evidence, said the police interfered in this case only because the girl was murdered. “If it was only a rape, the villagers would have settled it through ‘kangaroo courts’,” he alleged.
Considering the brutality of the incident, he said, the accused, P. Manickam (27), must not be granted bail until the court delivered its judgement in the case and that the accused must be booked under the Goondas Act.
Arguing that only around 7% of rape cases in Tamil Nadu resulted in conviction in courts, he urged Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami to immediately organise a meeting with all Collectors and Superintendents of Police to review the status of such cases. “Special focus must be provided to ensure that these cases are swiftly tried in courts and the offenders get punished,” he said.
