Rapist made to touch victim's feet, let off by Bareilly panchayat

A 30-year-old woman who works at a levelling project under MNREGA in Meergunj tehsil, Bareilly, was raped by the man in charge at the site on 28 January. Rohtash, 32, who is a rozgar sewak, arrived at the site on his bike where the woman was working alone and forced himself upon her. He threatened to kill her, stressing that he was a powerful man, if she were to report the rape.

However, the woman went to Meerjgunj police station and when she tried to file a complaint, she was allegedly not entertained. The village pradhan was instead called to the station along with the accused. Instead of punishing the criminal, the pradhan ordered him to touch the woman's feet, which he did.

After this, the panchayat pardoned Rohtash and told the victim to stay silent. But she escalated it and took it to the SP Brijesh Srivastava. "I have instructed the circle officer (CO) to investigate the matter. If the allegations are found to be true, strict action will be taken against the accused as well as the panchayat members," Srivastava told TOI.