Panchayat silences 3-year-old's rape after suspect pays 'fine' for feast
What's the story
In a shocking incident in Jharkhand's Gumla district, local panchayat members allegedly tried to cover up the rape of a three-year-old girl after accepting a "fine" from the accused's family. The accused, Sunil Lohara, who offered to look after the toddler, allegedly raped her on July 11 while her mother was away on an errand. Instead of reporting the crime to authorities, the panchayat decided to settle it internally with a fine of ₹1 lakh.
Fine details
Accused paid ₹1 lakh fine to settle case
Of the total fine, ₹20,000 was to be paid upfront to panchayat members and the remaining amount was to be given to the survivor's family within a week.
The accused allegedly paid this amount immediately and the panchayat members reportedly used it for a feast with meat and liquor.
A police team visited the village in the evening and arrested the accused after receiving information that the victim's family was being pressured by villagers not to approach the police.
Case progress
Survivor was medically examined twice
However, after a tip-off about the panchayat's internal settlement, police reached Palma village and arrested the accused. They also recorded the child's mother's statement.
"The survivor was medically examined twice. The toddler and her mother's statements will be recorded on Tuesday," police officer Mohan Kumar Singh said.
An FIR was filed based on her complaint.
The police are now probing whether panchayat members tried to shield a suspect in this case for cash.