NHRC issues notice to Jalpaiguri police over alleged rape, murder of minor

The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a minor girl was allegedly gang raped and murdered after she protested the humiliation of her family at a kangaroo court in West Bengal's Jalpaiguri district.

The victim's body was found nude near the railway tracks at Jalpaiguri's Dhupguri city.

The girl, who belongs to a scheduled caste, had reportedly, pleaded with villagers not to beat her father, after his request for some more time to make payment for a power tiller was turned down by the 'Salishi Sabha' (self appointed village court) which was convened at Dhupguri earlier this month.

The father of the deceased had lodged an FIR against 13 persons, including local leaders of Trinamool Congress and their supporters at the Dhupguri police station for rape, murder and kidnapping of his daughter.

The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim. Accordingly, a notice has been issued to the Jalpaiguri's District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police, calling for a factual report within two weeks.

They have also been asked to elaborate on the sanctity of kangaroo courts, the status of the criminal case registered against the 13 accused as well as details of the monetary relief provided to the victim's family in accordance with the provisions of SC/ST rules.