Panchayat silences 3-year-old's rape after suspect pays 'fine' for feast

Panchayat silences 3-year-old's rape after suspect pays 'fine' for feast 

In a shocking incident in Jharkhand's Gumla district, local panchayat members allegedly tried to cover up the rape of a three-year-old girl after accepting a "fine" from the accused's family.

The accused, Sunil Lohara, who offered to look after the toddler, allegedly raped her on July 11 while her mother was away on an errand.

Instead of reporting the crime to authorities, the panchayat decided to settle it internally with a fine of ₹1 lakh.