Girl realises dad raped her for 7yrs after learning of ‘good touch, bad touch’

The victim’s friend on Monday reported the matter to the school principal, who counselled the girl but did not report it to the authorities, said Pratibha Deepak Maheshwari, who runs an NGO and helped file a case against the girl’s father.

After being counselled by school teachers about good and bad touch, a 12-year-old girl revealed that she was raped for the last seven years by her father.

Hundreds of agitated people gather at the India Gate, demanding strong action against those involved in the brutal gang-rape of a student in a moving bus in December 2012. India brought in more stringent laws against sexual offenders after the incident that shook the nation, but they have failed to stem the tide of violence against women across the country. (HT File Photo)

The victim’s friend on Monday reported the matter to the school principal, who counselled the girl but did not report it to the authorities, said Pratibha Deepak Maheshwari, who runs an NGO and helped file a case against the girl’s father.

A case of rape was registered against the accused at Bajghera police station. The accused works as an electrician at a mobile tower and the family is from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh.

Initially, a Zero FIR was lodged by Jaipur police as Maheshwari, who lives in Jaipur but works with her NGO Asmita in Haryana, had taken the girl along with her to protect her.

Maheshwari said that she had spoken to the Child Welfare Committee in Haryana and approached the Childline in Jaipur, which helped register the Zero FIR and also the transfer of the case to Gurgaon.

“I was shocked to know that a man had been raping his daughter since she was five-years-old. This is a heinous crime and can’t be brushed under the carpet. Action must be taken against the accused,” said Maheshwari.

The victim told the school teachers as well as Childline officials in Jaipur that her father regularly raped her, and when she resisted, was beaten and tortured.

The victim’s mother was also aware of the abuse but she allegedly remained silent, Maheshwari said. The elder sister of the girl is also a victim of rape but she manages to avoid her father. The father used to rape the girl whenever she was alone in the house.

A case under section 4 of the Pocso Act, 376 and 506 of the IPC has been registered against the accused.

“The information about the incident came to us through an email after which a case of rape was registered against the accused. The minor girl is being counselled by officials,” said Inspector Shamsudin, SHO, Bajghera police station.