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India: Protest at Gurgaon about Sabina Case-rape and murder of a minor domestic worker case

India: Protest at Gurgaon about Sabina Case-rape and murder of a minor domestic worker case

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by IDWFED published Jul 20, 2017 12:00 AM
Under the aegis of Gharelu Kaamgar Sangathan, Gurgaon and with the support of National Platform for Domestic Workers (NPDW) - Delhi group, Domestic Workers Forum, Chetnalaya, Nirmala Niketan, NDWM, SEWA and other civil society groups organised a protest at Gurgaon.
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Jul 20, 2017 (Universal / UTC0)
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INDIA -

Background

On January 29, 2014, a gruesome and shocking incident took place in Gurugram, where a 14-year-old domestic worker named Sabina Khatun’s body was found hanging in her employer's house. The minor's family was certain that she had been raped and murdered. Police initially refused to register the case.

Even after they did, they have refused to arrest the primary suspects - the employer and his two sons. On the contrary, the police arrested women’s rights activists and GKS team members (later released) and went on threatening the community members with charging them with rioting and hooliganism. Gharelu Kamgar Sanghatan, the local domestic workers union,  is determined to bring justice to Sabina and challenge the habitual practice of miscarriage of justice in rape cases in Haryana.

Protest: Justice for Sabina

Support for Justice ! No collusion for Rape and Murder! Arrest the Culprits immediately!

Date: 20th of July, 2017

In a gruesome and shocking incident that took place in Gurugram on January 29, 2014 a 14-year-old domestic worker named Sabina Khatun’s body was found hanging in her employer's house. This incident happened at the residence of Mr. Vijay Beri in S-15/19, DLF, Phase 3, Gurugram, Haryana.

At first instance, Police refused to register FIR, but on the intervention of the Gharelu Kamgaar Sangathan (GKS) - a domestic workers' organization, the case was registered under sections 302 and 307 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). The FIR named Mr. Vijay Beri and his two sons, Apoorva Beri and Abhishek Beri, as primary suspects in this case. Even after FIR registration, police refused to arrest the suspected culprits, Mr. Beri and his two sons. The employer offered Rs. 3 lakh to the family members of the deceased and asked them not to demand an inquiry into the death.

With the investigation process going nowhere inspite of forming a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in this case, the victim’s brother filed a writ petition in Chandigarh High court in January, 2016 with the support of GKS for CBI investigation, challenging the delay in the release of the forensics lab analysis report of the second post-mortem. Under pressure in December 2016, the FSL report was release and it clearly stated that the DNA of the seminal samples of the accused Apoorva Beri and one Om Prakash who was probably the Driver of the Beri Family, matched that of the samples/vaginal swabs taken from Sabina’s body.  As the victim was a minor, the charge was made under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police could not however arrest Apoorva Beri as he had in the meantime fled the country and is now staying in Canada. Noting the conclusive nature of the evidence, the family of the accused aggressively pursued the family members both in Delhi and their home village, offering a larger sum of money. Their threats and pressures came down on the family of the victim, who are from a very poor background.

Gharelu Kamgar Sanghatan is determined to bring justice to Sabina and challenge the denial of justice in rape cases in Haryana. We appeal to the public to support us and stop heinous crimes like rape and murder and the culprits be punished. Rape and murder cases cannot be covered up.

This demonstration is the outburst of public sentiment for justice supported by various domestic workers organisations, women rights groups and organisations, individual activists and human rights activists from different parts of India. Rape and murder cannot be covered by money and influence. The police and the government act fast so that public will reaffirm their faith that Justice is above money and influence.

See photos from the protest:

Under the aegis of Gharelu Kaamgar Sangathan, Gurgaon and with the support of National Platform for Domestic Workers (NPDW) - Delhi group, Domestic Workers Forum, Chetnalaya, Nirmala Niketan, NDWM, SEWA and other civil society groups organised a protest at Gurgaon.

2017-7-20 India: Protest at Gurgaon about Sabina Case-rape and murder of a minor domestic worker case

The protest started from Sai Baba Mandir Nathupur S-Block, DLF Phase-3 and ended infront of the house of the accused Mr. Apoorva Beri S 15/19, DLF Phase 3 , Gurgaon. Around 100 supporters gathered infront of the house shouting the accused cannot be covered or hidden.

2017-7-20 India: Protest at Gurgaon about Sabina Case-rape and murder of a minor domestic worker case

The local media also gave good coverage of the protest:

“This demonstration is the outburst of public sentiment for justice, which is supported by various domestic workers organisations, women’s rights groups and organisations, individual activists and human rights activists from across India. Rape and murder cannot be covered by money and influence. The police and the government must act fast so that the public can reaffirm their faith that justice is above money and influence.”

GKS, along with Khatun's family, approached several agencies, including the minority commission and NCW, to put pressure on police and the laboratory to expedite the report. All through 2014, the victim's family met MLAs, heads of commissions and police officials demanding justice.

When the DNA report did not come till September 2014, an RTI was filed at FSL and DLF Phase 2 police station. Police only received the FSL report in December 2016, almost a year after Khatun's death, after a writ petition was filed in Chandigarh high court. By the time arrest warrants were issued against driver Om Prakash and Apoorva Beri, they had fled, Apoorva to Canada and Om Prakash to Bihar, according to sources. TOI has a copy of the FSL report.

At the protest, workers argued that despite the heinous crime, the accused remained at large. A special investigation team, headed by the then DLF ACP, had carried out the initial probe, but current DLF ACP Harinder Singh said there was no progress and refused to comment further.

Source and photos: Elizabeth Khumallambam

2017-7-20 India: Protest at Gurgaon about Sabina Case-rape and murder of a minor domestic worker case

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