Birbhum gangrape: SC issues notice to WB govt

Kolkata, Jan 25: Supreme Court on Friday took suo moto cognisance of the horrific incident of gang-rape of a tribal woman by 13 villagers in

's Birbhum district on orders of a kangaroo court, and issued notice to the state government.

The three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam, and comprising justices Ranjan Gogoi and M Y Eqbal, expressed shock over the incident and took suo motu cognisance of the matter. The bench passed the order and directed the district judge of Birbhum to visit the place and file a report within a week.

The shocking incident of the gang-rape of the 20-year-old woman was allegedly ordered by a village head at a kangaroo court in Labhpur, about 200 km from Kolkata, as punishment for falling in love with a man from a different religion. The girl was gang-raped by 13 people after a salishi sabha (kangaroo court) punished her on January 21. The woman is under treatment and her condition is stable.

Reportedly, the eyewitnesses said that the gangrape was done on a bamboo platform for the whole village to see.

Among those who brutalised her were people old enough to be her father, said the girl's family. The victim and her lover were caught, tied to a tree and assaulted, after which they were asked to pay a fine of 50,000. The gang-rape was meted out as punishment when the girl expressed her inability to pay the amount.

All the accused, including the village head (known as morol), have been arrested. The 13 accused have been arrested and sent to police custody.

Oneindia News