Rape victim gets compensation from NHRC

Kendrapada, Aug 25 (UNI) A girl raped by a villager three years back, was today given compensation of Rs 25,000 from the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC).

Kendrapara Superintendent of Police Diptesh Patnaik handed over the draft to the rape victim of Indupur village area as per the direction of the Director General of Police office at Cuttack.

According to official sources, one Parbati, the daughter of Biswambar Rout, a resident of Kanarpur village in Indupur area under Kendrapara police station was raped by fellow villager Harihar Bihari in an abandoned house on April 20,2004.

The victim informed the incident to her family members who brought the matter before the knowledge of the village panchayat.

The panchayat called a meeting and invited the accused who promised to marry the girl.

As the family of the accused refused the offer, the victim's brother, lodged an FIR with the Nikari police out post.The then in-charge of the police outpost neither registered the FIR nor conducted any inquiry into the incident.

The brother then drew the attention of the National Human Rights Commission and the chairperson of State Women Commission alleging police high-handedness in suppressing the matter.

The NHRC later directed the Kendrapara Superintendent of police to intervene in the matter and give justice to the victim by arresting the accused person.The Commission also directed the SP of Kendrapara to conduct an inquiry against the police officer who refused to entertain the FIR.

Acting on the directive of NHRC,the police arrested the accused in December 2004 and initiated departmental proceedings against the erring police official.

UNI