Jharkhand: 5 women on anti-trafficking drive gangraped at gunpoint

Ranchi: Five young women from a non-profit organisation conducting an awareness campaign in Jharkhand have been abducted and gangraped at gunpoint by half-a-dozen men. The men accompanying them have been thrashed.

The incident took place on Tuesday evening at Arki, where the 11-member team had gone to stage a street play against human trafficking.

A group of armed men barged in the middle of the performance, beat up the men and took away the women at gunpoint.

The police have detained nine people for questioning. Medical examination has confirmed rape and a case has been filed.

Reports say the shocking incident occurred in a village that endorses Patthalgadi. Senior police officers and administrative officials both opine that Patthalgadi supporters were involved.

Patthalgadi is a traditional tribal practice where stone slabs with names of ancestors are put up.

Of late, the traditional practice has taken political colours where supporters adhering to it urge people not to allow government officials and police to enter their areas.

Khunti has been witnessing Patthalgadi protests for the past many months. Stone slabs installed outside villages entrance announce that the writ of the government did not run there and the “gram sabha was all-powerful”. 

The supporters of Patthalgadi keep a watch and do not allow government servants to enter villages without permission.