A panchayat in Bihar has ordered a minor rape victim to take Rs 2 lakh and undergo abortion to settle the issue, the police said on Wednesday. The victim, a student of class VII was ordered by the panchayat of Subhankarpur village in Muzaffarpur district on Tuesday to take Rs 2 lakh and undergo an abortion.
“After we informed the panchayat of the incident, its members suggested to that we accept Rs 2 lakh from the accused and ensure that our daughter undergoes an abortion,” said the victim’s father.
Muzaffarpur Senior Superintendent of Police Jitenra Rana said that the police have begun an investigation.
“We have taken the case seriously. It is something rare,” he said. Rana said the police will arrest the accused and initiate legal action against the panchayat members. The victim’s father, who did not want to be named, told rediff.com that his daughter is against the abortion because it could be dangerous, and that that she wanted to keep the baby.
According to victim’s mother, the girl was raped in May by Arun Bhagat, a shopkeeper, when she went to his shop to buy household items. Bhagat, allegedly raped her and threatened her that if she told anyone about it, she and her family members would be eliminated. It was only after she got pregnant we learnt that she was raped,” she said.
