Bhopal: The recent gangrape of a 45-year-old Dalit woman in Harda district by five persons who then burned her private parts highlights the level of atrocities and discrimination faced by the dalits in the state.

The incident that happened on Saturday night came to light after a 45-year-old woman lodged a complaint with the police on December 25.

The victim alleged that she had gone to file a complaint at the police station after the incident but was turned away by the police who refused to file the FIR saying that she was lying.

Four days after the incident, the victim told the doctors at the district hospital as to how the police had refused to act on her complaint. The doctors then informed the police who arrested one of the five accused.

Investigations revealed that the incident had taken place in Singhanpur village and one of the accused, Ram Baksh (60), has been arrested while the other accused are at large. Ramesh Piplodia, station in charge of the Rahatgaon police station said that the victim in her complaint accused five people of abducting and gang raping her on the night of December 21. He also added that she had made the complaint on December 25.

Piplodia disclosed that of the five accused, three are of 60 years of age and barring the arrested person, other four are her relatives.

Piplodia disclosed that the medical examination of the victim have confirmed burning of her private parts and her hips were also branded.

Dr Manjusha Parate, who is treating the victim at the district hospital said that during interaction, the victim had told her that after the incident on Saturday she had gone to the Rahatgaon police station but her complaint was not entertained. The victim added that she came to the hospital after the pain became unbearable.

Dr Parate alleged, ‘‘The police registered the case after we informed them about it. Police didn't entertain the complaint earlier as they kept saying she cooked up the tale.’’

However police sources refuted all charges against them saying that the victim, in the past had complained of molestation and it was registered. They added that if the police had registered her complaint in the past, there was absolutely no reason for them in refusing this time.

Source :: Daily Baskar(Bhopal)