Bijli Sakhis’ collect over Rs 1120 crore in bills in UP, earning Rs 14.6 crore in commission
Modeled after the successful 'Banking Sakhi' concept, this initiative is designed to generate employment opportunities for rural women.
The National Human Rights Commission on Friday served a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government after taking suo motu cognizance of a media report that a panchayat asked the mother of a minor sexual assault victim to accept money from her daughter’s tormentors and terminate her pregnancy in Singhaoli Ahir area of Baghpat district.
Commission’s notices have been issued to the UP Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, calling for a detailed report within one week, a statement by NHRC on Friday said.
Commission said reportedly, life threats were also given to the aggrieved family at the behest of the miscreants, if they did not adhere to their diktat.
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The Commission has observed that the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a grave violation of the victim’s human rights. Going by the media report, it is indeed painful to note that the village Panchayat instead of protecting the minor girl connived in an unlawful act with the miscreants belonging to a resourceful section of society.
The UP government report is expected to include the status of the FIR and action taken against the guilty along with the victim’s health condition and compensation if any, provided to her by the authorities concerned, the Commission said.
As per the media report, carried on June 19, the family of the victim has complained to the police stating that one person from the same village had forcefully entered their house and subjected her to rape in December, 2023.
When the family tried to complain, life threats were given to the mother, brother and sister of the victim girl. After that, the miscreant sexually assaulted the minor.
When the victim’s family attempted to lodge a police complaint, they were stopped and forced to attend the Panchayat, where an offer of Rs 5,000 was reportedly given to the family.
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