NHRC issues notice to Bihar Govt over stripping incident of Dalit woman in Patna

New Delhi [India]: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday issued a notice to the Bihar Government after a Dalit woman was beaten up and stripped naked in Patna.

“The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 30-year-old woman belonging to Scheduled Caste, was brutally assaulted, stripped and urinated upon in Mosimpur village of Patna on 23rd September, 2023,” an official statement said.

“Reportedly, she was subjected to torture and inhuman treatment after purportedly failing to repay additional interest on a loan, amounting to Rs. 1,500/- which she had borrowed from a local strongman,” it added.

NHRC said that it has issued notices to the Bihar Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Bihar.

“The reported incident is indicative of the free will with which perpetrators acted without a fear of law, which is a matter of concern. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police, Bihar calling for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks,” an official statement said.

“The report should also include the status of the FIR, physical as well as mental health status of the victim woman and compensation if any, granted to her. The victim, reported to belong to the Scheduled Caste community is also eligible for the compensation as per provision of Rules framed under the SC/ST (PoA) Act,” it added.

NHRC further mentioned that state government authorities are expected to explain in the report about the status of the installment of the compensation given to the victim.

“The victim has passed through a trauma hence, it is also expected from the State Government to intimate whether any counselling has been provided to her,” the statement said.

According to the police, the woman and her husband had borrowed Rs 1500 from a money lender. After repaying the whole amount, the lender demanded for interest on the loan.

Upon, refusing to pay the same, the money lender and his son assaulted the woman and stripped her naked, the victim alleged in her complaint.

“It was alleged by the women also that the son of the money lender had urinated on her too. The woman sustained serious injuries and is getting treatment in the hospital,” police added.

The incident occurred on September 23.