Jind 'rape' victim under psychiatric treatment, left school, says activist

Deepender Deswal

Jind, November 24

Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) activist Sikkim Nain has claimed that she twice met a minor girl, who was forced into “physical relations” (amounting to rape) by the principal of a school here. The victim dropped out of school about two years ago and was undergoing psychiatric treatment, Nain said, adding that she left the school when she was a student of Class XI. Talking to The Tribune today, Nain maintained that the girl had also made some more disclosures about the principal’s misdeeds of forcing girls into physical relations with him. “The girl wanted to wage a fight for justice and asked me not to stay silent until all victims got justice,” she said, adding that the principal had taken a two-room accommodation on rent in a village where he had taken the girls. “When the girl threatened to disclose the incident to her family, the principal cooked up a story to turn her family against her. He called her father to the office and reported that his daughter was in contact with some boy. This irked the family and the girl was made to drop out of school,” she said, adding that the girl went into mental trauma and was undergoing psychiatric treatment due to her physical exploitation and false allegations by the principal.

Wage a fight

The girl wanted to wage a fight for justice and asked me not to stay silent until all victims got justice. Sikkim Nain, SKM activist

The SKM activist maintained that the families of the victims seemed to be under pressure. “In our society, a girl is considered the honour of the family. In this case, the families are asking their daughters to keep mum because of this. This false sense of honour could result in miscarriage of justice,” Nain said.

Reacting to Nain’s statement, advocate Vikram Mittal said establishing physical relations with a minor was a heinous assault which amounted to rape.

However, Jind SP Sumit Kumar said they had not received any complaint of rape by any victim in the case.

Nain said a report of the district administration had confirmed that there were 142 girls who had faced sexual or mental harassment in the school by the principal.

Additional Director General of Police Shrikant Jadhav today visited the government school concerned and met students. Assuring stringent action against those found guilty in the case, the ADGP urged the girls to stay strong.

During the nearly 40-minute interaction with the girls, the ADGP shared his mobile number with them and asked them to contact him in case they faced any problem.