The accused in the shocking gang-rape and abuse of a tribal woman in Khandwa region will be dealt with sternly, DIG Women Cell, Khandwa region, Raghuveer Prasad said on Sunday. The DIG said that it’s their job to make sure that victims of such heinous crimes get justice and strict actions are taken against the perpetrators. Prasad told the local media, “I will be checking on the ongoing investigation and will see what more can be done. The police is working towards women empowerment and we are making sure that there is proper police patrolling so that such incidents can be avoided in the future.”
A 30-year-old tribal woman was allegedly gang-raped and paraded nude on June 10 in village Bilai Khedi, Khandwa district of the State. Reports say that she was also forced to drink urine. According to the statement given by the victim, 10 accused, including the husband of the victim have been arrested and a complaint under Section 376, 354, 294, 332, 506 and 34 has been registered. The victim’s son was also with her when the incident took place but was beaten up when he tried to stop the villagers.
The incident had taken place in front of the victim’s 10-year-old son at a village in Bilai Khedi under Piplod police station area, some 60 km from the Khandwa district headquarters on June 10, delayed reports reaching the State capital said.
According to the police, the victim had been living separately from her husband, Kailash Bhil (35), for the last couple of months, owing to some property dispute. According to the victim, she had been called to a place in the village by her husband on the pretext of thrashing out the differences between them.
The woman did as she was asked to, and went along with her son to meet her husband. Her husband had been waiting for her along with a few other men. Police sources said that the woman was then thrashed, gang-raped and paraded naked and the group of men also forced her to consume urine. The victim narrated the ordeal to her parents and thereafter petitioned the police, which swung into action and arrested nine people in this connection. Further investigations are on, police said.