Court asks cops to ensure girl's return to native village

 Moved by the plight of a 21-year-old orphan, who was allegedly barred from entering her village in Andhra Pradesh by its residents for eloping, a Delhi court has directed police and state women's commission to ensure her safety and rehabilitation in her native place.

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau taking note of the issue said that an inquiry should be conducted as to why the girl was not being permitted to enter her village, saying it was violation of her constitutional rights.

The court's direction came after the girl, who was betrayed by her lover, told it that the villagers of her native place were not allowing her to enter the village on the pretext that she had eloped with a married man and given a bad name to them.

The Judge also asked the Delhi Commission of Women to take necessary steps to protect her and to ensure her rehabilitation.

"I am shocked to observe that a young orphan girl has been prevented from entering her village by the villagers which on the face of it is in violation of her constitutional rights.

"Counsel for Delhi Commission for Women, who has been informed about the issue, submits that she will take up the issue with the organization and all necessary steps to protect the prosecutrix (girl) and to ensure her rehabilitation would be taken. There should also be an inquiry as to why she is not being permitted to enter her village," the judge said.

The court's order came while adjudicating a case in which Himachal Pradesh native Suresh Kumar was accused of kidnapping the girl, who was in love with him, attempting to commit culpable homicide and assaulting her to outrage her modesty in a hotel in Sultanpuri in North-West Delhi.

The court, however acquitted Kumar as the girl turned hostile and changed her statement, She stated that he had not done anything wrong with her. Kumar also voluntarily paid Rs 30,000 to the girl as compensation.