BHALU MURMU Vs. STATE OF ODISHA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Sexual violence on children is the most terrifying ordeal and nastiest intensifying traumatic episode that take place in the lives of the victims and it causes such deep physical and psychological wounds and despair that it actually requires a brave and courageous effort on the part of the victims to overcome it and fight for justice. Sometimes the victims receive family support following disclosure about the crime committed on them and sometimes they are blamed by their family members. The family members sometimes even hesitate to proceed against the abuser for the sake of family prestige and social stigma. If there is lack of psychological support and care from family, the victims suffer a long term anxiety, depression, self-mutilation, interpersonal problems, post-traumatic stress disorder and they become entrenched and their progress towards development and peace get stalled. This case depicts how a three year old girl was lured and raped by a monster like the appellant in the absence of her parents at home by cunningly separating her from her brother.

(2.) The prosecution case, in short, is that on 23/2/2014 one Shanti Bage (P.W.4) presented a written report before the I.I.C., Khuntuni Police Station alleging therein that on 21/2/2014 at about 1.00 p.m. while her daughter (the victim), who was aged about three years was roaming in a nearby field, the appellant took the victim to his house luring her that he would give Namkeen Mixture to her and in his house, he committed rape on her. The victim returned home crying and told the incident to P.W.4 that a person who is having an amputed hand committed rape on her. P.W.4 took the victim with her to identify the culprit and the victim identified the appellant to be the person whose hand had been amputed to have raped her. P.W.4 marked cut injuries on the private part of the victim and the victim was feeling severe pain while urinating.

(3.) During course of trial, in order to prove its case, the prosecution examined as many as nine witnesses.