injutice to rape victims :#My invetig series(MIS)
On February 1, 2014 The New York Times reported a case of gang rape in Indian state of West Bengal with a news head 'The Ghastly Injustice in India' where a women was gang raped among around 13 people who were a panchayat council (khalp) members who decided to rape the women as punishment for her love for a Muslim man, the woman being adivasi. The council saw the love as a crime and asked both of them to pay a compensation of 27000 indian rupees .The adivasi woman being poor protested and this happened.
Fortunately, reaction to this latest example of village justice has been swift. The alleged perpetrators have been arrested. India’s Supreme Court has ordered an investigation into the incident and scheduled a hearing. The full weight of India’s law must be brought down on the perpetrators. Authorities must also provide protection for the victim and her family
Aftermath: After the incident received international news coverage, especially as it came three days after, Madhyamgram rape and murder case made headlines, where a 16-year-old girl employee of a fitness centre was gang-raped twice in a moving vehicle in Kolkata, in October 2013. Thereafter her family were hounded out of their home and then she was set ablaze at their new residence.
Soon, the Birbhum Superintendent of police C. Sudhakar was removed after the incident. The state governor, M. K. Narayanan called for a ban on such courts should be put down by all state governments.
Government of West Bengal banned kangaroo courts, especially among the tribal-dominated areas. Though there were some demonstrations by tribal leaders who claimed they were part of their tradition and such moves would constitute interference in the community's ways of dispensing judgment. On January 24, 2014, the Supreme Court of India directed the District Judge of Birbhum to submit a report. Then, on 28 March, setting a judicial precedent, the Supreme Court in suo motu notice directed the West Bengal government to take "concrete actions" in the case.
Arrests: While the girl was admitted at the local hospital in Suri, Birbhum for medical examination and treatment, her family lodged a complaint with Labhpur police station on 22 January. Subsequently an FIR was registered, the police arrested 13 persons, including Balai Mardi (the oldest accused, age 58), Sunil Kisku allies Sunil Soren (35, the head of sabha), Chana Mardi (25), Madan Mardi (29), Suresh Mardi (22), Kartik Mardi (age 20), Jetha Tudu (21), Lalu Murmu (26), Balu Tudu (57), Ram Soren (20), Jotha Mardi (50), Babon Mardi (the youngest accused, age 19) and Debraj Mondal. One of the suspects was absconding, but was subsequently nabbed. However, when the police first raided the village to make arrest, a section of villagers opposed and additional personnel were called in.
As the public response grew, a four-member forensic team from Kolkata visited the village and the spot and collected samples for forensic test, and took statement from the villagers about the incident.
link: www.nytimes.com
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On June 28, 2012, Sultana was abducted by the sarpanch of her village, the elected head of the local government, and gang-raped by him, his nephew and two other men. Sultana's family was searching for her for two days until they got a call from one of the rapists.
“Come and pick up your daughter,” they allegedly said. They didn't even bother to hide the crime.
Today, more than half a year after the rape, Sultana, who was 15 at the time of the assault, still shivers and tries to avoid eye-contact when talking about the crime that has “ruined my life forever,” as she says. But Sultana and her father have chosen to take up the fight against the sarpanch.
It is a battle between a day laborer and his daughter against a powerful man and his relatives who see themselves above the law.
When they chose to fight the injustice, Sultana's family was chased out of the village and forced into hiding. They have no money, no support – just Shafiq and his team, who assist in Sultana's legal battle. The police are reluctant to cooperate, maybe because they were bribed, maybe because they are afraid of the wrath of the village elders.
The interview with Sultana and her father is difficult because the sense of helplessness and injustice is so tangible. But courage is in their voices, in their gestures.
“I do this not only for my daughter, but for all the daughters of India,” says the illiterate father, who estimates his age at 35.
Shafiq says it is very hard to fight the system if you do not have the means to bribe the police and judiciary – if you want to get justice by merely following the law.
Given the massive failures in India's legal system, Shafiq says it is key to involve the fourth pillar of democracy, the press. The activist knows how to take advantage of the uproar after the Delhi rape case. Now is the time, he says, to go on Facebook and Twitter, to convince reporters to put these stories into their papers.
The next day, he proudly shows us an article the was published in The Hindu.
It's a first step to push the men, who see themselves outside the reach of the law, into the public. Attention is what they want to avoid at all costs because it taints their skewed sense of honor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2012 Delhi rape case involved a rape and fatal assault that occurred on 16 December 2012 in Munirka, a neighborhood in South Delhi. The case which lead to a wide outrage in public and finally resulted in a better life for the under 18 rapist .On September 13, 2013, a judge sentenced the four men to death after they were convicted of the crime. The fifth convict didn't see the day as he hanged himself in Tihar Jail. The sixth, who was five months short of 18, escaped death and will, in fact, is out on 20 December 2015 as he was tried under juvenile laws and got only three years in a reform home. That is the maximum sentence a juvenile can get. The juvenile is given a new identity and released given even a new job and livelihood .
It is a fact that you cannot get a picture of that juvenile on internet as he is highly protected now inspite of the fact that the psychologist who treated him still said he is not recovered from all that negative traits while you could easily get the picture of nirbhaya ,the victim.
Here we provide the pic of that released victim:
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Violence against women has become a prominent topic of discussion in India in recent years. Politicians and media have placed great focus on the issue due to continuously increasing trends during 2008–2012.
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On June 28, 2012, Sultana was abducted by the sarpanch of her village, the elected head of the local government, and gang-raped by him, his nephew and two other men. Sultana's family was searching for her for two days until they got a call from one of the rapists.
“Come and pick up your daughter,” they allegedly said. They didn't even bother to hide the crime.
Today, more than half a year after the rape, Sultana, who was 15 at the time of the assault, still shivers and tries to avoid eye-contact when talking about the crime that has “ruined my life forever,” as she says. But Sultana and her father have chosen to take up the fight against the sarpanch.
It is a battle between a day laborer and his daughter against a powerful man and his relatives who see themselves above the law.
When they chose to fight the injustice, Sultana's family was chased out of the village and forced into hiding. They have no money, no support – just Shafiq and his team, who assist in Sultana's legal battle. The police are reluctant to cooperate, maybe because they were bribed, maybe because they are afraid of the wrath of the village elders.
The interview with Sultana and her father is difficult because the sense of helplessness and injustice is so tangible. But courage is in their voices, in their gestures.
“I do this not only for my daughter, but for all the daughters of India,” says the illiterate father, who estimates his age at 35.
Shafiq says it is very hard to fight the system if you do not have the means to bribe the police and judiciary – if you want to get justice by merely following the law.
Given the massive failures in India's legal system, Shafiq says it is key to involve the fourth pillar of democracy, the press. The activist knows how to take advantage of the uproar after the Delhi rape case. Now is the time, he says, to go on Facebook and Twitter, to convince reporters to put these stories into their papers.
The next day, he proudly shows us an article the was published in The Hindu.
It's a first step to push the men, who see themselves outside the reach of the law, into the public. Attention is what they want to avoid at all costs because it taints their skewed sense of honor. ---------------------------------------------------------------------
The 2012 Delhi rape case involved a rape and fatal assault that occurred on 16 December 2012 in Munirka, a neighborhood in South Delhi. The case which lead to a wide outrage in public and finally resulted in a better life for the under 18 rapist .On September 13, 2013, a judge sentenced the four men to death after they were convicted of the crime. The fifth convict didn't see the day as he hanged himself in Tihar Jail. The sixth, who was five months short of 18, escaped death and will, in fact, is out on 20 December 2015 as he was tried under juvenile laws and got only three years in a reform home. That is the maximum sentence a juvenile can get. The juvenile is given a new identity and released given even a new job and livelihood .
It is a fact that you cannot get a picture of that juvenile on internet as he is highly protected now inspite of the fact that the psychologist who treated him still said he is not recovered from all that negative traits while you could easily get the picture of nirbhaya ,the victim.
Here we provide the pic of that released victim:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Violence against women has become a prominent topic of discussion in India in recent years. Politicians and media have placed great focus on the issue due to continuously increasing trends during 2008–2012.
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