Dalit rape: SC panel summons Orissa top cop,Chief Secy

Taking serious note of the alleged rape of a Dalit girl in Puri district and the subsequent inaction of the police and doctors,National Commission for Schedule Caste chairman P L Punia

Taking serious note of the alleged rape of a Dalit girl in Puri district and the subsequent inaction of the police and doctors,National Commission for Schedule Caste chairman P L Punia has summoned Orissa Chief Secretary and Director General of Police to appear before him on March 13 and submit an action taken report (ATR) in the matter.

We have issued a notice to Director General of Police and Chief Secretary to submit an ATR in the rape case. The way her unconscious body was found near her home made it clear that she was raped. But the doctors who treated her did not care for medical examination. It speaks volumes about their medical competence, Punia told The Indian Express over the phone.

The 18-year-old Dalit girl of Arjunagoda village in Pipili block of Puri district was allegedly gangraped by local youths on November 28 last year. After the gangrape,they allegedly tried to strangulate her,which damaged the girls cerebral cortex,leaving her in a state of coma. Doctors supervising her condition have said that she has very bleak chances of survival.

Punia said the way the doctors in Bhubaneswar and then in Cuttack treated her,violated all medical ethics. Punia said,We will soon write to the Medical Council of India to take action against the errant doctors.

Earlier,the National Commission for Women had also lambasted the local police over its failure in filing FIR.

Surprisingly,the State Womens Commissions report says that the girl was not raped. The report does not blame the police for inaction,rather it blames the girls parents for not mentioning rape in their complaint.