Rape victim forced to quit school: NHRC seeks report

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday sought a report from the Haryana government following allegations that a rape victim and her two sisters were forced to quit school in the state. Taking suo motu cognisance of media reports, the commission asked the chief secretary of Haryana, district magistrate and director of education of Fatehabad to submit the reports within four weeks.

An NHRC spokesperson quoting press reports said the 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a man in his 60s at Khai village in Fatehabad for over five months and her father alleged that he was being pressurised to hush-up the matter. The school authorities had told him that his daughters, including the victim, could not continue their studies in the school.

An enquiry conducted by the district education officer revealed that school leaving certificates had been issued against a request signed by the father of the victim, the spokesperson said quoting reports.

"The commission observed that the contents of the press report, if true, raise the serious issue of violation of human rights of the victim and her family members," the spokesperson said.