Outrage swept across Karnataka following the suicide of a minor girl who was raped by a known acquaintance. The 8th standard girl was on her way to a temple at Bhogura in Dharwad rural to pray for her ailing mother when the accused Basheer interdicted her before molesting and raping her.
According to the reports, the 14-year-old minor girl had visited a local temple at Bhogura village, Dharwad. The rape-accused Basheer Babusaba followed her to the temple. The 24-year-old accused then dragged her into a nearby sugarcane farm and raped the 14-year-old minor Hindus girl.
The girl returned home on the day and did not inform her parents. A day later, the victim reported the incident to her parents. The devastated parents decided to take her to the nearest hospital. As parents prepared to take her to the hospital, the 14-year-old minor decided to end her life by consuming poison. The minor girl was soon shifted to the hospital but later declared dead by the hospital authorities.
Reportedly, the accused Basheer was a frequent visitor to victim’s house and also helped the victim’s family in carrying out agricultural activities. The Dharwad police have arrested the accused Basheer. A case has been registered against the accused under sections of POCSO Act at the Garag Police Station, Dharwad.
We tried to reach Dharwad police officers for an update on the case, but could not be reached.
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi visits victim’s family
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi met with the grieving family, consoled them and promised swift justice in the case. An amount of Rs. 1 lakh was handed over to the family by Joshi. The family of the slain girl demanded capital punishment for the culprit to the Union Minister.
The family that they had pledged their daughter that Basheer would be taught a lesson, but the girl was mentally disturbed by the ordeal and consumed poison. Though she was immediately rushed to the hospital, they were a tad too late, and the girl could not be saved.
Outrager across the state and on social media demanding capital punishment for Basheer
Across the past few days, the youth in the village have been demonstrating against the culprit Basheer, asking the authorities to hang him for raping the girl, who then committed suicide.
The protest did not limit to the village alone, entire Karnataka has been raging against the culprit, with citizens demanding capital punishment to the rapist Basheer. Netizens from Karnataka took to social media to launch a campaign demanding justice for the minor girl, her family and exemplary punishment for the culprit.
#JusticeForRoopa and #HangBasheer have been trending on the social media websites for the last couple of days and netizens have demanded that Basheer be hanged to death so that it serves as a deterrent for other rapists. The citizens have claimed that they are determined to pursue their fight until the rapist is awarded death sentence.
Meanwhile, Hindu organisations VHP, Bajrang Dal also demanded strict action and submitted a memorandum to the district authorities demanding death sentence the accused under Section 302 of IPC.
