Four men allegedly raped a minor girl in a Chhattisgarh village where the panchayat tried to hush up the matter by directing the culprits to pay Rs 1 lakh compensation to her, police said on Tuesday.
After learning about the crime, which took place on July 9 in Kansabel police station area of Jashpur district, police took suo moto action and arrested the accused on Monday.
When the 16-year-old girl was returning from a wedding, the accused intercepted her. They took her to a nearby forest where they allegedly raped her, Jashpur Additional Superintendent of Police Pratibha Pandey said.
When the incident came to light, the villagers called up the panchayat the next day allegedly to settle the issue, she said.
"After the accused admitted to the crime before the panchayat, they were directed to pay Rs 1 lakh to the victim as compensation. The accused gave Rs 10,000 and assured to give the remaining amount later,” she said.
Meanwhile, police got information about the incident and swung into action.
They recorded statements of the victim and her father and registered a case against the accused on Monday, Pandey said.
Villagers who tried to hush up the matter will also be arrested following the investigation, she added.
