Minor gang-raped: Bihar women commission begins probe

Bihar State Women Commission has begun its probe into the alleged gang-rape of a minor girl in Madhepura district. The victim delivered a baby girl at Sadar hospital and became an unwed minor mother, officials on Friday said.

"The commission is investigating the case and will submit its report to the chairperson soon. After that we will initiate action to provide justice to the victim," Manju Devi, a member of the commission said.

Manju Devi, who met the victim and her mother during her visit to Madhepura on Friday, said that the commission is serious in helping her. "The commission had recorded the victim's statement," she said.

Manju Devi told rediff.com that the commission will recommend conducting a DNA test of all four accused in the case.

It took nearly nine months for the Bihar police to file an FIR against the four accused.

Just sixteen days after the police lodged a case, the victim delivered a baby girl.

"Police lodged a case on August 3 and the victim delivered a baby girl on August 19," a district official said.

The police was forced to lodge a case after the court of the chief judicial magistrate of Madhepura directed it to do so.

Police arrested two of the accused early this week, who were remanded to judicial custody. The other two accused are absconding.

Madhepura Superintendent of Police Saurabh Kumar Sah said that after the case was brought to his notice, he had directed the station house officer to get a medical examination conducted and record the statement of the victim before the judicial magistrate.

According to the police, the girl was gang-raped in December 2011 in Gopalpur village under Udaikishaganj police station, when she was on her way to the fields.

The victim and her family ran from pillar to post to lodge an FIR but local policemen refused to listen to their complaint.

The girl's family then brought the matter to the village panchayat. One of the four accused agreed to marry her but later refused to do so.

Faced with no option, her family approached the CJM court that directed the police to lodge a case.