14 arrested for raping, setting girl on fire in Jharkhand

After her gangrape, she was burnt alive inside her home on Friday, as the family had complained about the incident to the village panchayat.

CHATRA: Fourteen people have been arrested in connection with the alleged gangrape of an 18-year-old girl in Jharkhand on Thursday. After she was gangraped, she was burnt alive inside her home on Friday, as the family had complained about the incident to the village panchayat. 

Bokaro range IG Shambhu Thakur along with other top officials visited the village and met the relatives of the victim on Saturday. There is a sense of fear among villagers after the horrific incident took place in Rajakendua village under Itkhori police station in Chatra district.

Taking cognizance of the issue, Jharkhand Chief Minister assured that strict action will be taken against the culprits. "I am disturbed by the incident. There is no place for such barbaric acts in a civil society. The administration has been instructed to take immediate action. The culprits will not be spared," the CM said.  

चतरा में हुई हृदयविदारक घटना से काफी आहत हूं। सभ्य समाज में इस तरह की बर्बरता का कोई स्थान नहीं है। प्रशासन को दोषियों पर त्वरित कार्यवाई करने का निर्देश दिया है। दोषियों को बख्शा नहीं जाएगा।

— Raghubar Das (@dasraghubar) May 4, 2018

According to reports, the girl was abducted by four youths from near her house and raped when her family members had gone to attend a marriage. The woman's family lodged a complaint with the local panchayat about the incident.

The villagers had convened a panchayat and imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the accused. The panchayat had also ordered the accused to do 100 sit-ups before it. "Panchayat said that settle the matter by making accused do 100 sit ups and paying the victim's family Rs 50,000," a victim's relative said. However, the accused reportedly refused to obey the panchayat directive and instead barged into the house of the woman, along with his friends. They assaulted her parents before allegedly setting her on fire. 

Police are investigating if the woman was in a relationship with the accused. They also said that they are probing the case from all possible angles. "Probe is underway," assured District Collector Jitendra Singh.

In another rape incident in Palamau district, the village Panchayat asked the rape accused to pay Rs 15,000 to settle the issue. A minor was allegedly raped by her maternal uncle in the district on Wednesday night when she had gone to her maternal uncle's house to attend a marriage.

The victim returned home on Thursday and informed her family members. The issue was taken to the village Panchayat which asked the maternal uncle to pay the fine.