Blind Tribal Girl Gives Birth After Gangrape Near Raipur, Three Youth Arrested

NEW DELHI: Three youths were arrested for gang-raping a visually impaired 16 year old tribal girl from Jashpur District of Chhattisgarh, 415 Km far from Capital Raipur.

The incident came to light two and half months after the girl had given birth to a child as an aftermath of her continuous violation. Jashpur Childline intimated the authorities about the incident.

Police Inspector from Kansalbel Anita Prabhaminj said that the victim belongs to Bataikel village and quite ignorant of the wrong done to her. Even her parents were shy in lodging an FIR with police. About the arrested accused she said, "Ashish used to call his two friends Punedik Bhagat and Chandanram Vishwakarma and the three gang-raped her not once but multiple times. Their courage developed when the girl didn't complain to anyone. When the accused noticed a swollen belly, they stopped raping her."

The accused would take the girl to the nearby forests and ravage her there, she said.

Prabhaminj said the girls seemed completely oblivious to the crime and seems to have understood this as a way of life.

Her parents too did not come forward initially out of fear and ignorance.

"She seemed oblivious to the fact that what happened to her was wrong. Usually, tribal girls don't acknowledge they were being assaulted and assume it as a part of life. She doesn't really realise she's a mother now," the inspector said.

Jashpur Childline coordinator Chhavilal Sahu said, "Parents of girl were ashamed of bringing the matter to light even when we tried convincing them to lodge FIR. Now the girl will be presented before Child Welfare Committee after which she will be provided relief compensation, medical treatment and rehabilitation," TOI reported.

The arrested youths have been booked under Prevention Of Child from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Tribal Atrocities act. The accused have confessed to the crime, police said.

Jashpur district comes under the 'Red Corridor' part of the state. According to 2001 census report, the district has third highest tribal population in Chhatisgarh, after Dantewada and Bastar, respectively.