Another shocking and tragic case of exploitation, human trafficking, sexual abuse and police inaction is on the news right now where a woman was sold by her father and she was gang-raped. The woman is a widow from Uttar Pradesh’s Hapur in her late 20s and she was sold off by her father and aunt for Rs 10,000 to a man. The keeper of the woman raped her repetitively along with his friends as per to the report.
HIGHLIGHTS
- The woman was sold off after her husband died
- Man who bought her forced her to serve as domestic help, gang-raped her
- DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal has asked UP CM Adityanath to initiate probe in case
Last month, the traumatised woman set herself on fire and is now battling for her life. She received with 80% burns and is right now admitted to a private hospital in Delhi for the treatment. It is also in reports that the police didn’t take any action against her report and not only this, they didn’t even file the FIR and turned away.
Her alleged ‘buyer’ was in debt so he then sold the woman’s service as a domestic help to his creditors who gang-raped her multiple times. She set herself on fire on 28th April 2019.
The woman somehow managed to reach the police and approached them for help but she was turned away. A letter written to UP CM Yogi Adityanath by Delhi Commission for Women chairperson Swati Maliwal alleges that police officers, as well as the Hapur SP, declined to file an FIR in the case.
In addition the letter further claims that “This insensitivity and shameful conduct of the UP police compelled the survivor to immolate herself.”
She also called for an investigation into the part of the Hapur police. “We have received a complaint against at least 14 persons and a probe has been set up,” said Rajesh Kumar Bharti, station house officer, Babugarh police station.
A video of the woman is also being circulated on social media, in that video the survivor can be seen saying, “Police did not take any action and pushed the matter under the carpet by taking money.”
DCW has claimed recompense for the victim as well as an investigation into inaction by Hapur police.
Hapur police has lastly registered a case in contradiction of 14 persons for rape. “We have received a complaint against at least 14 persons and a probe has been set up,” SHO Baburgarh said to a news agency.
The letter sent by the DCW chairperson reads, “DCW is in receipt of a representation from a survivor of gang-rape belonging to Hapur. The survivor has suffered unimaginable harassment at the hands of the UP police in Hapur who have refused to register an FIR despite repeated complaints,”
The letter further added, “This insensitivity and shameful conduct of the UP police compelled the survivor to immolate herself. She is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Delhi” the letter adds.
The DCW letter said the woman was apparently sold for Rs 10,000 to a Hapur resident. “That person had borrowed money from several people and in return the survivor was forced to work as domestic help at the houses of these persons without any remuneration. Here, she was subjected to continuous harassment and gang-rape.”
