NHRC Orders ‘Appropriate Action’ In ‘Rape’ Of Class III Girl By School Peon In Odisha

Rayagada: A week after a Class III student was allegedly raped by a peon of the school in Odisha’s Rayagada district, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has directed Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivekanand Sharma to conduct an impartial investigation and give justice to her family.

“This complaint be transmitted to the concerned authority for such action as deemed appropriate,” the rights body said.

Subrat Kumar Dash, state President of Nyay Pain Ladhei Parivar (NPLP), had lodged the complaint, seeking stern action against the accused and Rs 50 lakh compensation to the family members of the survivor.

Tension and unrest prevailed in Dangasil village under Kashipur block following the alleged rape of the eight-year-old girl at an ashram school run by ST, SC development department of the Odisha government on September 22. The accused, identified as Shiba Prasad Mishra, allegedly lured the girl to an empty room of the school when she was returning home and raped her.

Upon returning home, the traumatised girl confided in her mother following which the family took her to Dangasil hospital. She was later shifted to Rayagada district headquarters hospital as her condition deteriorated. Her condition is stable now.

A day later, irate locals staged a road blockade, demanding justice for the girl, and set fire to a police vehicle following a confrontation between the authorities and villagers. While around 30 individuals were then detained in connection with the unrest, and five platoons of armed forces were deployed in the area to maintain order.

Chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) of Rayagada, Bidulata Huika, had also expressed serious concern over the incident and met the victim and her mother at the hospital.