A man in Rajasthan’s Bikaner has alleged that his minor daughter was raped by eight teachers of a private school who also made a video of the act.
The alleged incident occurred in April 2015 and the first information report was registered on Friday after the girl’s father gave a complaint to the Superintendent of Police, police said.
“The FIR lodged under Section 376-D (gang rape) of the IPC (Indian Penal Code) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act,” Nokha police station SHO Darjaram said.
The father of the 13-year-old girl alleged that the teachers were sexually assaulting his daughter for last one year and also threatened her of dire consequences if she informs anyone about it.
She was also forced to consume abortion pills by the perpetrators.
As the case sparked outrage on social media, it has also come to light that the 13-year-old victim was suffering from cancer.
The victim's mother said that the girl sustained injuries on her private parts because of the sexual assault which led to cancer.
The minor girl is currently undergoing treatment at a Bikaner's medical hospital in cancer research centre.
Earlier, one of the teachers had filed a case against four persons, including two cousins of the girl on March 20, for thrashing him.
Both the matters are being investigated, the SHO added.
Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, however, has raised questions over the delay on part of the family in reporting the alleged rape.
On Sunday, police visited the private school and recorded the statements of some locals. However, no arrest has been made so far.
Taking cognisance of the alleged rape case, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Sunday decided to write to the superintendent of police and district magistrate seeking details of the matter.
Kataria on Saturday told reporters the rape case was lodged by the father of the girl as a counter to a case and the examination by the medical board will only verify the allegations.
“I cannot understand if eight people rape a girl and she does not inform the (family) the same day. However, the allegations are serious and we have formed the medical board and only after the medical examination, it will become clear,” the minister told reporters.
Manan Chaturvedi, the chairperson of the state commission for protection of child rights, said the matter should be thoroughly and impartially investigated as to why the father did not approach the police to file a case earlier.
“The allegations are very serious and the victim should be treated well and must be delivered justice but at the same time, the case has become complicated due to its timing. This should be probed as to why the father did not report the incident when the alleged incident took place,” she said.
“I have spoken to the range IG and district SP. I came to know that the victims and the accused are relatives. There may have been some dispute between them earlier so this becomes a complicated case and it needed an impartial and detailed probe,” she said.
Chaturvedi said that she will form a committee on Monday to probe the incident so that the facts come to light.
With inputs from ANI
