Bhirbhum gangrape: SC says more effective steps need to be taken

New Delhi: Stating that more “effective” steps needed to be taken in Birbhum gangrape incident, the Supreme Court today directed the West Bengal government to place before it copies of FIR, forensic report and statements recorded by police in the case. After going through the report of state Chief Secretary on action taken by police in the gangrape case of a young tribal woman by 13 villagers in the district, a bench headed by Chief Justice P Sathasivam said “Government has taken effective steps but we want more”. [caption id=“attachment_1390475” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Supreme Court of India. Reuters[/caption] It directed the state government to place all documents before 3 March when the matter would be taken up for further hearing. On 31 January, the Supreme Court had directed the West Bengal Chief Secretary to respond on what action police had taken in the case of gangrape of the 20-year-old woman allegedly on the orders of a kangaroo court as punishment for falling in love with a man outside her community. The bench had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident on 24 January and had directed the district judge to visit the place and file a report before it. The victim and her paramour were caught, tied to a tree and assaulted after which they were asked to pay a fine of Rs 50,000. The gangrape took place after the girl expressed her inability to pay the amount. The victim and her family members in their complaint before the police had said that among those who brutalised her were people old enough to be her father. All the accused, including village head (known in the area as ‘morol’), have been arrested. The rape allegedly took place inside the morol’s house. PTI