Jharkhand: Girl thrashed, stripped over 'Rs. 500 worth-phone' theft allegations
A tribal girl from Jharkhand was stripped, thrashed and filmed by a group of students in a women's college after being accused of stealing a phone. The incident took place on August 4 in the Santhal Pargana Women's College and thereafter the video was shared on social media. Following the incident, the victim's father, a farmer, threatened to commit suicide along with his daughter.
The victim narrates her ordeal
The victim said that she had recently purchased a second-hand phone for Rs. 500. The girl who had lost hers saw the victim's phone and charged the latter of stealing her phone. She added that soon everyone accused her of being a thief, assaulted her and held a students' council meeting inside the hostel which imposed a penalty of Rs. 18,600 on her.
What does the victim have to say?
She said, "Few students from other colleges also joined the meeting where I was declared a culprit. Soon the crowd of students attacked me. They thrashed and stripped me calling me a thief. I saw a couple of girls filming the entire episode."
Inquiry proceeding, guilty not to be spared, say police
Dumka police superintendent Mayur Patel said, police officials met the victim on Monday, recorded her statement and filed an FIR against the accused. He added that the police is reaching out to various WhatsApp groups administrators to ensure that the video is deleted and not shared further. Meanwhile, hostel warden, Annu Murmu said a detailed report to principal Dr. Renuka Nath has been submitted.
Both victim, accused are tribals
Meanwhile, as per a senior official from the college, both the victim and the accused are tribals and hence the college authorities are being pressurized by the community leaders to settle the differences on the college campus itself through negotiation.
