From: shefali-AT-sas.upenn.edu (Shefali Chandra)
Subject: Re: Petition -- Shefali Chandra
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 1996 17:16:03 -0400 (EDT)



Mirangela Buggs wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Honorable Chief Minister
> The Government of Rajasthan
> Vidhan Soudha
> Jaipur 302001
> Rajasthan, India.
> 
> 
> October 15, 1996
> 
> 
> 
> Dear Sir:
> 
> 
> Subject: Our protest against the rape of Dhapu Bai
> 
> 
>         We the undersigned file this petition to express our outrage at the
> rape and torture of Dhapu Bai, an adivasi woman, in the village of
> Utharna
> in Tonk district in the state of Rajasthan.  As you perhaps know, this
> gruesome incident  took place on June 15, 1996.  We also express our
> anger
> at the violent beating of Dhapu Bai's husband and son that occurred on
> the
> same day.
> 
>         Dhapu Bai was gang-raped in front of her husband Jagdish and son
> Dharam Raj by some twenty henchmen of a liquor contractor named
> Meghraj and
> a head constable of Deoli police.  Jagdish and Dharam Raj were severely
> beaten with iron rods.  Finally, these three poor victims were left by the
> police outside a local hospital where Dhapu Bai regained consciousness
> after four days.  Needless to say, the family went through a horrible
> physical and emotional trauma.
> 
>         We refrain from describing in further details the rape and physical
> abuse because no description can match the real incident that
> surpassed all
> limits of human behavior.  Through this petition, we strongly demand
> justice to Dhapu Bai and her family.  We are aware that some of the
> criminals have been arrested upon agitation by women's groups and
> subsequent media attention on this case.  However, in light of the fact
> that the medical report on Dhapu Bai does not mention any rape and
> some of
> the arrested criminals are already free on bail, we are apprehensive that
> other pieces of evidence will be tampered with and all the criminals will
> be acquitted.
> 
>         We the undersigned therefore strongly demand to you and your
> government that the case be dealt with in extreme urgency and care and
> in
> the interim, Dhapu Bai and her family be given ample financial and legal
> compensation if it has not been done already.  We also demand that the
> criminals, however socially and politically powerful they are, be arrested
> forthwith and brought to justice -- thereby setting a precedent that will
> keep other criminals of committing such acts of barbarism and terror.
> 
>         We are sending out copies of this petition to various Indian
> newspapers and women's organizations.
> 
>         Thank you for your attention.
> 
> 
> Sincerely yours,
> 
> Mirangela Buggs
> P. O. Box 20551
> Tompkins Square Station
> New York, NY  10009
> 
> 
> 
>