Bengaluru: Raped by father, minor subjected to 'truth test' on a bed of nails by astrologer

A 14-year-old raped by her father was subjected to further humiliation and torture by an astrologer claiming to put her through a 'truth test'. The teenager who told her mother about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father was asked to take a truth test on a bed of nails.

Blinded by superstition, the child's mother took her to an astrologer instead of the police after learning of the teenager being repeatedly raped by her father. The survivor accused her father of sexually abusing her when her mother was away on work. The father is said to have threatened to murder the girl's mother if she told anyone about the abuse. Unable to bear the abuse, the teenager finally confided in her mother. The father, identified as Ramesh refuted the allegations and accused his daughter of lying. Torn between the husband and the daughter, the mother chose to seek the help of an astrologer who was none other than Ramesh's nephew.

In a bizarre truth test, the girl was asked to place her palms on a bed of nails and the astrologer, Suresh stamped on her hands. The astrologer claimed that if her hands started bleeding, is meant that the girl had lied and was a virgin. As he started stamping on her little hands, the child screamed in pain which made neighbours take notice. Horrified at the sight, neighbours came to the rescue of the little girl and handed over the accused to the police.

The father of the child, the cousin, as well as the mother, have been arrested for the abuse. Cases under POCSO have been registered against the accused and the girl has been sent for medical examination. The family is said to be residents of Magadi. The dual cruelty meted out to the girl comes at a time when the Congress government in Karnataka is dilly-dallying on the anti-superstition bill. As elections draw closer, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has once again raised the issue and has assured that the bill will be ready by the end of 2017.

OneIndia News