The Centre and the Chhattisgarh police chief have been issued notices by the NHRC over allegations that security personnel raped a minor girl at a village in Sukma district recently.
The Commission took cognisance of the matter on the basis of media reports and complaints by the victim's mother brought to its notice by Delhi University Professor Nandani Sundar.
In a statement, the rights body said, on April 2 some "unidentified CRPF/Police personnel" entered a house at Chintagufa village of Sukma district looking out for a man, purportedly a Maoist sympathiser, and raped his 15-year-old sister.
"Allegedly, they also severely beat her family members when they tried to rescue the girl. The victim and her mother are being kept in custody by the police and pressure is being mounted upon the victim to change her statement. The reporter of the newspaper, who had reported the incident, is also allegedly being questioned," said an NHRC statement.
The Chhattisgarh DGP and the Union Home Secretary have been asked to respond within four weeks. The allegations, if true, raise an issue of violation of human rights, the Commission observed.
Reportedly, the police authorities have denied the allegations saying that these have been levelled with an intention to defame and demoralise the police force, it said.
"The perpetrators are required to be booked under law. There is extreme need to provide protection and proper counselling along with relief and rehabilitation to the victim and her family members," NHRC said.
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