An underage Dalit girl was recently sexually assaulted in a village in Uttar Pradesh. An official complain was filed by the victims family, leading to an arrest of the assaulter.
Story: Avani Kulshreshtha
Edit: Nitya Kaimal
In Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi, a 17-year-old Dalit girl was repeatedly raped by a man living in the same village as her. The criminal, Raju Gupta, encountered the girl’s family while operating a paddy threshing machine in the crop field.
The man would come frequently to her house to meet her parents, and when they would not home, he would rape the 17-year-old. This happened repeatedly, and when the parents started to notice changes in the girl’s body, they took her to the doctor. Realising she was pregnant, the girl told them about the assault.
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According to the SHO, on Sunday, the girl’s father brought her to the Suriyawa Police Station and lodged a complaint against Gupta. Following the complaint, the police filed a case against Gupta on charges of rape, criminal intimidation under IPC, and violations of the SC/ST and POCSO Acts. Acting on the victim’s statement, the police conducted raids and arrested Gupta near Suriyawa Railway Station.
Sexual assault crimes against Dalits in India are a serious concern, highlighting entrenched social inequalities and caste-based discrimination. Dalit women are particularly vulnerable, often becoming victims of violence by upper-caste individuals who take advantage of systemic flaws. The justice system frequently fails these women, with many cases being poorly handled or dismissed, leaving survivors to deal with intense stigma and exclusion.
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Although there are legal protections such as the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, enforcement is typically inadequate, and societal attitudes continue to sustain this cycle of violence. To effectively address these crimes, there is a need for both stringent law enforcement and a profound change in societal views on caste and gender equality.
*दलित टाइम्स उन करोड़ो लोगो की आवाज़ है जिन्हें हाशिए पर रखा गया है। *
महिला, दलित और आदिवासियों के मुद्दों पर केंद्रित पत्रकारिता करने और मुख्यधारा की मीडिया में इनका प्रतिनिधित्व करने के लिए हमें आर्थिक सहयोग करें।
