There was a tenure when we were amazed with the decisions announced by the Khap panchayat in North India. Now the time has changed, but still unrealistic and out of the world justices are being announced in Chhattisgarh. In a recent case, a panchayat in Jashpur announced Rs 10,000 as penalty for three rape accused, set them free and did a mutton party later
According to the TOI report, the panchayat forced the parents of three raped victims – their daughters – to settle into a compromise with the three accused. Then the panchayat ordered them (accused) to pay Rs 10,000 each and invited the entire village for a meat feast. Later, distributed rest of the amount among 45 villagers and said ‘case over’.
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Though the parents did not seem convinced, they even did not report about the incident to the police. After being informed about it, Jashpur ASP Uneza Khatoon Ansari said no complaint was filed, but they have sent a team to the remote village to probe the matter.
As per the report, when the three girls – two minors – did not return by evening on July 5, parents went looking for them. They came to know that three men had raped them and fled. The parents were called by the community heads while they were heading to police station to lodge an FIR, as the idea was not feasible according to heads. So they called the accused and arranged a ‘compromise’, reports TOI.
Humiliation did not end here. With the amount community heads received, they organised a grant feast – a mutton party, and distributed Rs 485 among 45 villagers. Thereby closing the case, that both the parties have agreed for a compromise.
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