Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports about detention of a 10-year-old rape victim by police in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh when she approached them to lodge a complaint, the Supreme Court today issued notice to the state government.
A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir expressed its displeasure over the incident in which the girl was detained by Bulandshahr police when she went to the police station with her parents to lodge a complaint.
"How can the police detain a ten-year-old girl?" the bench asked.
The bench has sought an explanation from the state government and asked it to respond on Monday, when it will take up the matter for further hearing.
The incident took place on Sunday when the girl had gone to a general store close to her house to buy some essentials. She was reportedly taken away by the accused who raped her and fled.
When the victim and her parents went to the station for filing a complaint, the girl was kept in the lock-up of the Mahila Thana for several hours.
When the incident came to light, two women constables on duty at the relevant time were suspended while the Mahila Thana in-charge Gayashree Chauhan and sub-inspector Sarita Dwivedi, who were first sent to the Reserve Police Lines, were later removed.
Yesterday, the Bulandshahr police claimed to have arrested the accused who had allegedly raped the minor.