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India: Rape victim-accused tie the knot
March 11, 2005
Bhubaneswar - A courtroom in Orissa turned into an impromptu wedding hall as a
rape victim tied the knot with the man who had assaulted her four years ago.
The guests at Monday's wedding were the judge, police officers, lawyers and
relatives of the couple.
The couple, however, will have to wait a while before they can lead a normal
married life. This is because the groom has yet to be released from jail.
Krushna Sahu, 27, of Darlipali village in the western district of Bolangir, 370
km from Bhubaneswar, had allegedly raped Bilash Sahu, 22, of the same village
in 2001, a police officer said.
The girl's family did not want to lodge a complaint with the police and wanted
the rapist to marry the girl, he added.
However, neither the accused nor his family were agreeable to this. Even worse,
the perpetrator fled to neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, where he found a job.
The local police refused to help the victim's family, citing the lack of a
complaint, the officer said.
The girl's family then petitioned a court in Loisingha town, a few kilometres
from the village, which ordered the police to arrest Krushna.
He was arrested and produced in court, which rejected his bail plea and sent
him to judicial custody.
A lawyer and a member of the local legal aid cell then attempted to settle the
matter out of court by arranging a meeting of the two families, at which it was
decided that the couple should marry, the police officer said.
The marriage was to take place in the prison where Krushna was lodged but the
venue was later shifted to the Loisingha courtroom at. A Hindu priest performed
the rituals.
The girl's family has withdrawn the petition they had filed in court and a
decision on this will be taken next week, the police officer said.
Indo-Asian News Service
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