16-year-old gang rape victim from Rajasthan writes to PM, seeks death

Bharatpur:

A 16-year-old gang rape victim from Bharatpur, miffed with police over inaction against the accused, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, seeking permission to end her life.

The girl, a Class 10 student from Jhanjhar village in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district, was raped repeatedly for three days by her two neighbours, said a complaint registered with police by her father. The accused made video clips and threatened to circulate them on social media if she told anyone about the rape, the complaint said.

The girl’s family met Bharatpur superintendent of police (SP) Anil Kumar Tak on Friday. The girl said she wanted the accused to be arrested and punished. In her letter to Modi, she said if the accused were not punished, she would end her life.

“Accused are roaming free in the village and threatening to kill my parents. Police have not succeeded in arresting them,” she said.

The incident happened on January 10 when her father was admitted to a private hospital in Bharatpur for a stomach operation. Two youths of the village -- Soldar Khan and Samaydeen Khan -- called the girl to their house, saying her father had called on Soldar’s mobile phone and wanted to talk to her.

When she came to their house, the men raped her. They shot video clips during the rape and threatened her to make them public. They repeatedly raped her for three days, according to the police complaint.

The girl shared the incident with her mother when she returned from the hospital. Her kin organised a panchayat in the village, but the accused refused to attend.

The victim’s father approached Sikri police station on February 4. Police registered his complaint under section 376 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and IT Act against Soldar and Samaydeen. Police had taken the girl for medical examination and recorded her statement before the magistrate.

The girl’s father said, “She is under depression and wants to end her life. She is more distressed as the police have failed to arrest the accused.”

Investigative officer Anil Meena said main accused Soldar has been arrested on Friday. The SP said, “Soldar Khan has been arrested, and police are investigating the role of Samaydeen Khan.”