MP govt pays sexually assaulted minor girl's parents Rs 5 lakh

The Madhya Pradesh government has paid Rs 5 lakh to parents of a two-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ward boy of a primary health centre on March 15, 2013 after a directive from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The Madhya Pradesh government has paid Rs 5 lakh to parents of a two-year-old girl who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a ward boy of a primary health centre on March 15, 2013 after a directive from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

According to an official release issued on Friday, earlier the state government had held that Rs 5 lakh as interim relief was not in accordance with rules.

However, NHRC member justice D Murugesan reiterated his recommendation to the MP state government and observed that the commission had special powers under the Protection of Human Rights Act to award appropriate relief and is not bound by the rules framed by the state government for payment of compensation in such cases, the release said.

Therefore, it was unable to accept the justification that Rs 5 lakh as relief was not in accordance with rules, the release added.

During the course of enquiry, the commission had found that the allegation of sexual assault was correct, it said.

The girl had come to the Primary Health Centre at Kanad, in Madhya Pradesh's Shajapur district, along with her expecting mother and ended up getting sexually assaulted by a hospital ward boy, it said.

A criminal case vide FIR Number 71/2013 for the offences punishable under Section 376(2) G, Section 366 and Section 363 of the Indian Penal Code, besides Section 5 and Section 6 of the POCSO Act as well as Section 3(2)5 of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, was registered at Kanad police station, it said.

The accused has also been arrested and a chargesheet filed in court, the release said.