Jharkhand: First men raped minor, then burnt her alive
Another rape incident, this time from Jharkhand, will hang all our heads in shame. Five men accused of raping a 16-year-old girl in Jharkhand's Naxal-affected Chatra district burnt her alive after a panchayat asked them to pay Rs. 50,000, and do 100 sit-ups, for the horrendous act. The accused are on the run and police have launched manhunt for them.
"After the rape, a local village panchayat found the accused youth guilty and levied a fine on them. Immediately after the panchayat's verdict the accused got into an altercation with the panchayat members and the family members of the girl," an officer said.
On Thursday, the girl was allegedly kidnapped by the accused while she was in the village to attend a wedding. They took her to a deserted spot and raped her. The victim's father reported the incident to village elders. "When the panchayat imposed a cash penalty, they got infuriated and started thrashing us. We ran away to save our lives," he said.
One of the rape accused Ghannu Bhuiyyan, and his aides set the girl's house on fire as she was inside. They poured kerosene oil and set it ablaze, as the victim's mother kept fighting them to save the daughter. Ashok Ram, an officer-in-charge, Itkhori police station, "We are taking all necessary measures to confirm the rape and murder incident."
