On 22 April 2021, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) directed the District Magistrate, Karimganj District of Assam to pay compensation to two tribal rape victims under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The two tribal girls, who are residents of Tripura, were gang raped by five persons identified as Abu Bakkar, Amir Ali, Sumon Ali, Samsul Uddin and Anowar Hussain at Nilambazar area under Karimganj district of Assam on the night of 13 November 2020. The victims had hired a taxi from Silchar to return home after visiting their ailing mother, who was undergoing treatment at the Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre in Sichar.
The NHRC acted pursuant to a complaint filed by ILAI, which was registered as Case No. 221/3/10/2020-WC.
All the accused were arrested and an FIR registered under Sections 120b/376D/379 IPC r/w 3(w)(i)(ii) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. In its order, the directed the Superintendent of Police, Karimganj to get the investigation completed fairly and to its logical conclusion within reasonable time. Further, the NHRC directed the District Magistrate Karimganj to provide compensation to the two victims as per the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
