The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has found that 16 women in Chhattisgarh are "prima facie victims of rape, sexual and physical assault by the State police personnel in Chhattisgarh even as it awaits the recorded statement of about 20 other victims."
In a press release on Saturday the NHRC said that it had issued a notice to the state government and had asked why it should not recommend interim monetary relief of Rs 37 lakh.
The NHRC said, "The Commission has observed that it is of the view that, prima-facie, human rights of the victims have been grossly violated by the security personnel of the Government of Chhattisgarh for which the State Government is vicariously liable."
It said in the press release that it had found this after it took suo motu cognisance of a report in The Indian Express published in November 2015 that had said that women from five villages of Pegdapalli, Chinnagelur, Peddagellur, Gundam and Burgicheru had alleged that the Chhattisgarh police personnel had sexually harassed and assaulted more than 40 of them, and gangraped at least two.
The NHRC said that during the course of this enquiry, they received another complaint dated January21, 2016, bringing to its notice more incidents of sexual violence by the security personnel against women that took place between January 11 and 14, 2016 at the Bellam Lendra (Nendra) village of the Bijapur district and at the Kunna village in the Sukma district and in Chotegadam in the Dantewada district. The NHRC has sought reports from state authorities regarding these incidents as well, the statement said.
The NHRC said that it had submitted it inquiry report which was sent to the chief secretary and DGP, Government of Chhattisgarh for their response.
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