In a significant ruling the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has awarded monetary compensation to the 13-year-old tribal girl of Nabarangpur district, whose modesty was outraged by a public servant.
Invoking section 18 of Protection of Human Rights Act-1993, the NHRC has directed the State Chief Secretary to pay a damage of Rs 50,000 to the girl of Nabarangpur district, whose modesty was outraged by India Reserve Battalion (IRB) Jawan Pankaj Kumura in February 2011.
The girl’s father in his complaint had alleged that his daughter was raped by the jawan while she had gone to attend the nature’s call on the evening of February 27, 2011. Investigating into the case after registering a case under section 376 (Rape) of IPC, the local police converted the case to outraging of modesty (section 354 of IPC) after the victim girl in her statement before the magistrate maintained that she was not raped by the jawan.
Since it was not a case of rape, the District legal Services Authority of Nabarangpur rejected the victim’s application for the award of any monetary compensation and instead suggested the victim to appeal before the State legal Services Authority.
Notwithstanding the observation of the District legal Services Authority and basing on application made by human rights activist and advocate Prabir Kumar Das, the NHRC earlier this week recommended the State Government to pay the damage amount to the victim within six weeks.