NHRC issues notice to UP Govt in Lakhimpur Kheri rape

National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports of rape and murder of 18-year old Dalit girl in Lakhimpur Kheri and issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh Government. Within two weeks, NHRC has sent four notices to UP government, three of which are concerned with women safety in the state.

New Delhi: Within two weeks, the National Human Rights Commission has sent four notices to Uttar Pradesh Government, three of which are concerned with women safety in the state. On Thursday NHRC has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports of rape and murder of 18-year old Dalit girl in Lakhimpur Kheri.

The notice issued to Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police, Uttar Pradesh has called for a detailed report in the matter within 4 weeks. NHRC has asked officials to mention the status of the statutory relief and other assistance provided by the state government to the family of the victim.

The statement issued by NHRC criticised crime and reads, "Apparently, the people with criminal intent have no fear and respect for law and the innocent women, particularly from the vulnerable classes of the society are easily targeted by them."

This is the duty of the state to make a fearless environment for its citizens so that they can live with respect and dignity, it added.

According to the media reports, carried today on 27th August 2020, the girl was murdered by a man whose marriage proposal she had rejected. The man was arrested on Wednesday. The dead body was found on August 25th in a dried pond in an area which falls under Neemgaon police station jurisdiction.

Reportedly, the girl, second of four children of the family, was the one, the parents had pinned their hopes on. She had just passed class 9th and was about to start her class 10th, the first one from her family to study up to that level.

The only source of income for the family is a 2 Bigha plot. The girl aiming to get Scheduled Caste scholarship (Rs.2,220/- annual) which would have helped ease some of the financial burdens on the family but before it could happen, she became the victim of a heinous crime.

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