Scared villagers deny to comment on the rape

Image
Press Trust of India Bolpur (WB)
Last Updated : Jan 23 2014 | 7:58 PM IST
Villagers of Labhpur, where a 20-year-old tribal girl was gang-raped allegedly on the instructions of a khap panchayat on Tuesday, today claimed that 'nothing of that sort' had taken place there.
With 13 of the perpetrators arrested and sent to judicial custody, villagers feigned ignorance about the horrific incident and were tight-lipped about it.
According to the police, after the girl was seen talking to a man from a different community with whom she was in love, they were caught, bound to a tree and beaten up by members of the khap panchayat or 'salishi sabha' before the entire village.
The sabha slapped a fine of Rs 50,000 on the two of them and when the girl declared that she was unable to pay, she was gang-raped allegedly at its orders.
"I was there when the salishi sabha (khap panchayat) was held. But I left. I don't know if the gang rape really took place or not. I don't know anything," said a villager cautiously.
Another villager said "I don't know anything. Please leave me alone. I don't want to say anything."
A woman resident impassively said "I have seen nothing.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Jan 23 2014 | 7:58 PM IST

Next Story