Dalit woman raped, paid Rs 2.5 lakh to buy her silence | India News

MEERUT: A 21-year-old Dalit woman who was allegedly raped by an higher caste man in August 2023 was later compelled to “settle” the matter at a panchayat and paid Rs 2.5 lakh to stay silent.
But that was not the tip of her ordeal. Just as her household moved to one other place to flee the harassment and social barbs, and quietly organized her marriage in a spot distant, the accused received wind of it and despatched a video of the sexual assault to her fiance, following which the marriage was known as off.
What got here after that was worse. The accused’s household demanded the cash again. It was then that the survivor’s father, unable to tolerate the stress and threats any longer, met Hapur SP Kunwar Gyananjay Singh. An FIR was lodged on Thursday, nearly two years after the crime.
The woman’s father mentioned: “After my daughter was violated, a panchayat was called where we were forced to settle the matter for Rs 2.5 lakh. We left the village for another place and I arranged my child’s marriage to a man recently, but the accused sent an obscene video to her fiance. Her marriage was called off. What are we to do now?”
The survivor’s mom mentioned she, too, was not too long ago assaulted and disrobed by the household of the accused. “They came to us demanding the money back and started misbehaving with us. When my wife opposed them, she was assaulted. The accused tore her clothes,” the woman’s father instructed police.
“The initial incident was not reported to me. Now, a written complaint has been received, following which an FIR under IPC sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or criminal force) and 506 (criminal intimidation) has been registered against five men,” mentioned Hafizpur SHO Ashish Kumar.
“Teams have been formed to probe the matter, and arrests will be made,” the SHO added.