Gumla, July 13: The Jharkhand police have cracked down on an unauthorized village panchayat that allegedly attempted to hush up the brutal rape of a three-year-old girl by imposing a financial settlement and using the “fine money” to host a feast.
The police have arrested the main accused, Sunil Lohara, and initiated a high-level administrative probe against the villagers who organized the parallel court in Palma village.
According to the police, the assault took place on Saturday evening when an intoxicated Lohara tricked the victim’s mother into letting him watch the child while she finished chores. Hearing her daughter’s screams, the mother rushed in to find the toddler seriously injured. The child was immediately taken for medical treatment, and an FIR was lodged the next day.
Following the accused’s arrest, a group of villagers called an unauthorized panchayat to suppress the matter. The self-styled court ordered the accused’s family to pay a “fine” of Rs 1 lakh. Lohara’s family paid Rs 20,000 upfront, which organizers allegedly used to buy meat and alcohol for a party.
Dissenting villagers secretly filmed the meeting and alerted the authorities. A police contingent raided the venue mid-celebration, dispersing the crowd.
“In serious crimes like rape, trying to reach a compromise through a panchayat or suppressing the matter is a legal crime,” Ghaghra Police Station In-charge Mohan Kumar Singh said, warning of strict action against the organizers.
Gumla Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Suresh Prasad Yadav confirmed that a specialized team—including representatives from child protection and legal services authorities—has been formed to investigate the panchayat’s role. Separate legal action will be filed against those who attempted to obstruct justice.
