In Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district, a 24-year-old bride was allegedly tortured, beaten, and forced to take a chastity (virginity) test.
The Khap panchayat also imposed a 10 lakh penalty on the rape survivor’s family after she failed the test.
The survivor is from the Sansi tribe, where the Kukadi pratha (virginity test) is said to be practised. If a girl fails the test, the boy’s family is given a sum of ten lakh rupees.
Surrendra Kumar, Deputy Superintendent of Police, stated that the girl was allegedly raped by her neighbour in the past and that she had filed a complaint about it. She was married on May 11, 2022, and was forced to undergo Kukadi pratha.
According to the police official, her father-in-law is a head constable and was aware of the girl’s incident. Despite knowing this, she was subjected to torture, humiliation, and harassment. Her ordeal was reported to the Khap (community) panchayat.
“I failed in the ritual (kukadi pratha). The ritual was performed in the afternoon. Thereafter, the discussions happened till late evening. I didn’t say anything out of fear, then was beaten by the husband and mother-in-law. I told them that this incident (rape) had happened with me before”, the survivor was heard confessing in a video.
A case was filed on Sunday at Bagor police station under IPC sections 498A (coercing a woman to meet an unlawful demand), 384 (extortion), 509 (insulting the modesty of a woman), and 120B (criminal conspiracy).
