Minor deaf, mute gang rape victim gives birth to child

Parents borrow money to admit her to hospital

Kalpana, (name changed), 15, deaf and mute cannot convey her feelings through words to others. But her eyes reflect her trauma and agony.

A gang rape victim, Kalpana’s agony has compounded when she gave birth to a baby at a hospital in Allahabad.

She was gang raped last year at her village in Allahabad district allegedly by two youths of the same village. The culprits later convened a panchayat and forced her parents not to approach police but to settle the matter outside. The panchayat had held that the culprits should pay Rs 21,000 each to the family of the victim.

However, police got wind of the matter through the local media and registered a case and arrested the alleged culprits.

None bothered to think about the victim who became pregnant. Sources said the families of the culprits also tried to force an abortion but did not succeed.

The minor gave birth to a baby a few days back. The poor parents had to borrow money from a money lender to admit the girl to the hospital.

Some relief

Allahabad district magistrate Rajshekhar has promised a piece of land to the family in the village.

He also gave them Rs 25,000 and directed the hospital to provide free medical care to her during her stay there.

People staged a demonstration before the office of superintendent of police in Allahabad demanding that her family be given adequate protection as the families of the culprits were allegedly exerting pressure on the victim’s parents to withdraw the case and settle the matter out of court.