Chhattisgarh: Rape Survivor Fined By Panchayat For Approaching Police

A 23-year-old gang-rape survivor in Jashpur district, Chhattisgarh has been fined by the Panchayat for filing a complaint with the Police against the rape. She has been accused of disregarding the village and the Panchayat’s brand of ‘justice’ which punishes the rapists with a fine of 5000 rupees.

According to Times of India, the Police has begun the investigation of the rape and the penalising of the rape survivor. The two accused of rape have been arrested. However, the Police are still waiting for a written complaint by the survivor on the Panchayat’s decision.

Key Takeaways:

• A 23-year-old woman was gang-raped by two men who were her acquaintances. They had lured her with a promise of paid labour
• Rapists Kishor and Sandeep have been fined 5000 rupees each for raping the woman
• Surprisingly, the woman has been fined by the Panchayat along with the accused. The Panchayat has found the survivor equally guilty for filing a complaint against the rapists with the Police
• The Police are investigating the case. The rapists are behind the bars. However, no written complaint has been filed by the survivor against the Panchayat for penalising her

Raped by her acquaintances who lured her with a promise of paid labour

The woman lives in the Jashpur district of Chhatisgarh with her family. On November 4, she had an argument with her brother and consequently stormed out of the house. She went to her relative’s house located nearby to spend the night.

The Police are investigating the case. The rapists are behind the bars. However, no written complaint has been filed by the survivor against the Panchayat for penalising her

Kishore and Sandeep, the accused, were an acquaintance of the woman. They approached her at her relative’s house for paid labour work. Realising that she was in need of work to support herself away from the family, the two men decided to take advantage of it. The next day, they called her to a construction site promising her work. When she arrived at the place, she found it abandoned and then the two men brutally raped her. They even warned her of severe consequences if she tried to speak up against them.

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The survivor and her mother filed a complaint at the Police station

However, according to a report by PressReader.com, the woman decided to speak and narrated everything to her mother. The duo went to the police station and filed a complaint. However, according to the Police, they did not file a formal complaint. As the survivor was in shock for two days, she had not filed a written complaint, then on November 16 she decided to give a written complaint. The Police then filed an FIR and arrested Sandeep and Kishore for rape.

Surprisingly, the woman has been penalised by the Panchayat along with the accused. The Panchayat has found the survivor equally guilty for filing a complaint against the rapists with the Police

Both rapists and the survivor are culprits according to the Panchayat

Within ten days of the rape and complaint, the matter spread throughout the village. Consequently, the Panchayat called a meeting to discuss the case. The survivor then narrated the whole incident in the public. After healing to the ordeals and the plea of justice by the woman, the Panchayat came to the decision that both rapists and the survivor are equally guilty in the case. While Kishore and Sandeep will be fined 5,000 rupees each for raping, the survivor would also have to pay 5,000 rupees for taking the case outside the village and to the police station.

Rudrani Kumari is an intern with SheThePeople.TV

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