UP Khap Horror: SC asks police to ensure Dalit sisters are not raped; Directs release of their brother from jail

The two dalit girls allegedly ordered to be raped by a ‘Khap’ panchayat  of Bhagpat in Western UP after their brother eloped with a higher caste Jat girl got a massive relief from the Supreme Court today.

The Supreme Court not only asked the top police officials in the area and in Delhi to ensure that no harm is caused to them by providing them tight security, but also ordered release of their brother, arrested in a drug case after he pays a bond of Rs 50,000

The apex court also directed the Delhi Police to take appropriate measures for protection of the family as the entire family is currently residing in the capital.

“We interacted with him (the brother of the dalit girls) in-camera. Looking at the circumstances of the case, we deem it appropriate to direct that the boy be enlarged on bail on a personal bond in a sum of Rs 50,000 along with a bond from his elder brother, who is in the service of the Delhi Police, for the like sum, to the satisfaction of the Registrar of this Court.. We deem it appropriate to direct the Delhi Police to take such appropriate measures as are necessary and sufficient to protect the life and liberty of the petitioner and the members of her family”, a bench comprising of justices J Chelameswar and Abhay Manohar Sapre said.During an in-chamber proceeding yesterday the bench which condemned the “ruthless khaps”  spoke to the family members of the Dalit family

The family accused the local police of colluding with members of the Khap and targeting them.  They have since left the village and have been staying in New Delhi.The bench also granted protection to the girls and their family.However, the village is in denial and refuses to believe that such a diktat was ever passed.

The girls in their petition before the apex court said that the state police, instead of protecting her, are harassing her family members and sought a CBI probe in the incident.

They said constant harassment meted out to her and family members by police and the upper-caste community members made them flee the village fearing for their lives.

"She and her family cannot return back to her village and have been rendered homeless. She has been condemned by the Khap Panchayat to be raped and paraded naked because her brother Ravi fell in love and eloped with her friend Krishna who belongs to the dominant caste of Jat," the petition said.

According to the petition, her brother and the woman from Jat community were in love but the girl was forcibly married off to a Jat boy. A month after the marriage, the girl eloped with his brother but they had to return due to the pressure from the girl's family and the UP police.

She said that her brother was then implicated in a false narcotics case and arrested. He was later granted bail by a local court. "The said elopement invited the wrath of the Jat community and UP Police and as a retaliatory measure her family members were abducted and tortured by police. Her family had to flee their village and her home looted and possessed by the Jats," the petition said.

Read more news about Khap Panchayat here.