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Minor attempts suicide, family alleges police refused to file a rape complaint
Police registered a rape complaint and arrested the accused after the victim, a 13-year-old girl, attempted suicide because police allegedly refused to lodge an FIR in the matter.
Bareilly Police registered a rape complaint and arrested the accused after the victim, a 13-year-old girl, attempted suicide because police allegedly refused to lodge an FIR in the matter. The girl was rushed to the district hospital where she is in intensive care.
“The girl set herself on fire at 4 pm on Saturday evening,” said circle officer of Jahanabad area of Pilibhit on Monday. A resident of a village in Jahanabad, the minor sustained burns on her neck, thorax and abdomen. “Her family took her to the district hospital and claimed it was an accident,” said the officer. But when an inquiry was launched, the girl’s father blamed the police for the incident. He said an 18-year-old from the village had raped his daughter on Thursday night.
“We approached Jahanabad police on Friday but they refused to lodge an FIR... She (the victim) became depressed and burnt herself, ” the father said.
The girl was also not sent for a medical examination at the time, which is mandatory in a rape case, the father said.
Police, however, refuted the claims.
“Local police accepted the complaint and started preliminary investigation from Saturday,” the circle officer (CO) said. An FIR was registered on Sunday evening under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code for assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty; the accused was also arrested.
“The accused is also a minor and known to the girl,” the CO said.
The district administration of Pilibhit sent a magistrate to record the victim’s statement and ordered a medical examination on Monday.
“The girl is out of danger but unable to speak much. We will perform the required test once her condition improves,” said the chief medical officer(CMO) of district hospital, Om Prakash Singh.
