'She brought rape on herself'

For most of Dhaujj village, it was the victim's fault. They claimed a woman out in the middle of the night was asking for trouble. Karan Choudhury reports

For most of Dhaujj village, it was the victim's fault. They claimed a woman out in the middle of the night was asking for trouble.

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Not only this they believe the five accused, who allegedly abducted and raped the 30-year-old woman after she got off her office cab, are innocent.

"She should never have taken up a job which requires her to work late into the night. Of course, what happened to her is abominable but she was the one who called for trouble," said Karim Khan, a village elder.

The small 30-35-member community said the accused had been framed by the police for want of suspects and to settle personal scores.

"My son was at home on November 24, the night the incident took place. He is innocent. He works hard transporting stones mined at the site. But even then if what the police say is true, I will disown my son," said Kallu, father of Shahid alias Chota Billi, one of the accused in the case who surrendered at Ballabhgarh court two days after the rape.

"There are few police personnel who are from this place and hold grudges against our families. They are the ones who tipped the Delhi Police and accused our children of rape," added Kallu.