» 08/11/2011 14:04 INDIA Dalit girl attacked and set on fire by five peers, still free The girl, 17, endured an attempted rape. She suffered 90% burns all over her body, but is still alive. Police are investigating. Catholic activist tells AsiaNews this is the result of a "caste-based" mentality.
Lucknow (AsiaNews) - In the village of Johri (Sitapur district, Uttar Pradesh), a 17 year-old Dalit girl was set on fire and burnt by five peers who had tried to rape her. The girl has burns on 90% of her body and is in very critical condition. The attack took place on August 2, but no-one has yet stopped the attackers.
The victim's father said that already some days before the accident, the five boys - Tillu, Billu, Ajay, Dharmendra and Tuiyan - had upset his daughter with insults and lewd comments, which the young girl ignored. On the morning of 2, when the girl was alone at home, the five raided the house and tried to rape her. When she resisted, they sprinkled kerosene all over her and set her on fire.
The Ramkopt police, which deals with the case said that the incident came to light when the young Dalit arrived at the hospital. The police registered the complaint of her father immediately, an investigation was opened. Yet despite this her five attackers are still free.
Interviewed by AsiaNews Arulraj Antony, a member of the Justice and Peace Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference, said "two aspects" reveal the "vulnerability" of the victim: "She is a girl and a Dalit." The activist said that in Indian villages it is "not uncommon" to run into people who belong to the "so-called upper-caste" who consider Dalit girls an "object of desire," regardless of their rights. All this is part of a "caste-based mindset" that "today can no longer be accepted".
Hoping that justice is done soon, the Catholic activist states that it is important to "ensure the girl now has all the medical care she needs," to make sure "she testifies" to identify those responsible. "The culprits – he ends - must be brought to justice."
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