16-Year-Old Rape Victim Was Paraded And Beaten For Being Raped

A video from Madhya Pradesh, India surfaced showing a 16-year-old girl being paraded and beaten for being raped. The unnamed girl was reportedly raped by a 21-year-old man. The villagers took action by shaming and beating both the victim and the accused. The torment for the girl continued till police arrived at the scene and broke the crowd up.

An incident of sexual violence against a minor ended up with the victim getting punished for it. On Sunday, March 28, the residents of a village in the Alirajpur district of Madhya Pradesh resorted to mob justice following reports of the alleged rape. A large crowd gathered and decided to punish both the rape victim and the rapist.

According to NDTV, the mob consisted of the girl’s relatives as well. The teenager’s rape was seen as an act of shame for the family. They blamed the girl for being sexually assaulted. To shame her further they tied her by the waist to her rapist. Both the individuals were then paraded around the village while the crowd jeered on. The crowd could be heard shouting Bharat Mata Ki Jai which means Long Live Mother India in Hindi.

After a point, the duo was attacked by the mob. While the man received most of the beatings, the girl too was unjustly assaulted in the fray.

The attack on the victim carried on till the local police arrived, dispersing the crowd. Rescuing the girl from the situation, the police also made multiple arrests, Times Now News reported. Police officer Dilip Singh Bilwal told the media that two separate cases have been filed. One case is against the 21-year-old unnamed man for the rape. He has been booked under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The second case was filed against the girl’s family and other villagers for parading her and beating her.

It is unclear if the girl remains with her family. India’s National Commission for Protection of Child Rights on Tuesday, March 30 asked the police to submit an inquiry report within 24 hours. The investigation continues.