NHRC seeks report from Bengal on minor’s gang rape, murder

Kolkata, Sep 20 (IANS) Taking up the alleged gang-rape and murder of a minor girl in West Bengal, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Friday issued notice to the state administration seeking a report within two weeks.

Taking suo motu cognisance of a media report of the 15-year-old girl being allegedly gang-raped and murdered after she protested the humiliation of her family at a kangaroo court in Jalpaiguri district, the NHRC issued notice to the district magistrate and superintendent of police calling for a report.

"The commission has observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim – who was from a scheduled caste family.

"Accordingly, a notice has been issued to the district magistrate and superintendent of police, Jalpaiguri district calling for a factual report within two weeks.

"They have also been asked to elaborate on the sanctity of the ‘kangaroo courts’, status of the criminal case registered against the 13 accused as well as details of the monetary relief provided to the victim’s family in accordance with the provisions of SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Rules," the commission said in a statement.

A day before her nude body was found by railways tracks in Jalpaiguri district on Sep 1, the class 10 student was seen pleading for the life of her father – a poor farmer – after a kangaroo court of the village rejected his request for more time to pay for a rented tractor.

The victim’s family has named 13 people in the first information report for the alleged rape and murder.