NHRC notice to UP govt on reports of harassment faced by Unnao rape victim

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government following reports of its agencies allegedly harassing and threatening the Unnao rape victim.

The NHRC has also directed the state's chief secretary to "personally look into the matter" and ensure that the victim's family is not subjected to "any further harassment or humiliation" by the accused local MLA or his aides in any manner.

In its notice, it has also called for detailed reports from the chief secretary and the state's director general of police on the allegations of "threats" issued to the victim. The response is expected within four weeks, the rights panel said.

 

"The NHRC has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that the Unnao gang rape victim has accused the Uttar Pradesh government of harassing her and her family members, through its various agencies, as she was trying to fight against a ruling party lawmaker," the commission said in a statement issued on Friday.

The notice was sent over the reported allegations of harassment and threats faced by the victim "from state-government agencies", it said.

"Allegedly, they have been told to withdraw the case against the MLA accused of raping her," the NHRC said.

The commission observed that the content of the media report, if true, amounts to serious issue of violation of the right to live with dignity of the victim and her family members.

"It is the responsibility of the state to ensure safe and secure environment for the victim of sexual assault, her family members as well as the witnesses of the criminal act," the rights panel said.

The commission observed that it seems that the NHRC's earlier directions given in connection with this case on April 10, "were ignored, otherwise the reports of harassment of the victim would have not come to the fore".

Reiterating its directions to the Uttar Pradesh government, it "directed the chief secretary to personally look into the matter and ensure that the victim's family is not subjected to any further harassment or humiliation by the accused local MLA or through his aides in any manner", the statement said.