Bijnor: A village panchayat here in Uttar Pradesh has punished a 16-year-old boy with four slaps and Rs 1 lakh fine for allegedly sodomizing his eight-year-old cousin.
With the panchayat settling the matter, victims’ family members didn’t file a police complaint. The matter has been ‘settled’, reported news agency IANS.
The victim has been hospitalised in a private facility since Sunday evening when the alleged assault took place.
The boy lured his neighbour, the victim, to the outskirts of the village and apparently sexually assaulted him. The boy was rescued by passers-by who heard the victim’s cries. The boy was taken to a private medical facility in Noorpur town.
The villagers called for the panchayat on Wednesday to seek justice for the victim. The panchayat declared a quick punishment of four tight slaps and a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the victim’s family.
“The matter pertains to the same family. We had gone to the village but the victim’s family refused to file a complaint. We do not know about Panchayat and its decision. It is not legal,” Station House Officer (SHO) of Nahtaur, Jai Kumar, was quoted as saying by IANS.
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