Girl tonsured, paraded naked in Araria village

ARARIA: A minor girl was allegedly tonsured, physically assaulted and paraded naked in a village under the Jokihat police station area in Araria district on August 31 and the next day. An FIR was lodged with the women’s police station at Araria against Mohammad Rouf, Mohammad Ashraf, Mohammad Munna, Mohammad Shahab, Mohammad Ashfaq and Nahida. No one was arrested till Monday evening.
The girl alleged that she was punished for telling her neighbours that the unmarried daughter of Bibi Nahida, the wife of Nazir, had consumed poison and died.
The FIR was lodged only on Monday evening though the girl and her relatives had lodged a police complaint in this regard on Sunday. Sources said the girl’s family was scared as the assailants had threatened to chop off her breast if she dared inform the police.
DSP (HQ) Rameshwar Singh told this newspaper that the accused were absconding, but police would nab them soon. Singh said he visited the village on Sunday and prima facie found the allegations “a bit exaggerated”.
Police sources said the girl was allegedly dragged from her house on August 31 and locked in a room at Nazir’s house. The victim alleged that she was physically assaulted, undressed and harassed whole night by the accused family members. On September 1 morning, they tonsured and made her to walk naked in their courtyard. The girl said she managed to escape on the pretext of answering the call of nature.
Women’s police station SHO Meera Kumari said the case was being investigated. “Raids are on to arrest the accused,” she said.