Shockingly, some on the social media have defended the horrific act, claiming that news of the rape was “fake” as it was actually a “love affair”. These persons, most of them Muslims, even demanded that the survivor be married off to the minor rapist. Claims were made that the survivor had “confessed” before the magistrate that she was in “love” with the boy and wanted to marry him. Even a student leader of National Students Union of India (NSUI) – the students body of the Congress party – jumped in and put out a post calling the poor girl his sister-in-law, insinuating that she be married off to her rapist.

As pointed out by OpIndia, the comments gave the case a sickening angle that not only aimed at downplaying the rape inside a madrassa but also legitimised sex with a minor, and child marriage.

Comments have left family shocked, shattered

A teary-eyed uncle of Geeta told Swarajya that the family was horrified at this insensitive and sickening behaviour. “Instead of demanding justice for the girl, they are busy indulging in character assassination. I feel sick,” said the uncle, who recently returned to his hometown in Uttar Pradesh after spending a week in Delhi, where his niece lives.

“I was so outraged that I wanted to lash out (on social media) at those writing such filthy content about my niece. But that would have revealed her identity. I have never felt so helpless,” he said.

“I hope they are all sent to jail.”

It is pertinent to mention here that the law doesn’t recognise child marriage, and even if a minor gives consent, the sexual act is treated as rape. In this case, however, there was no consent, as alleged in the posts.

“Please put out these facts in the public domain. My niece was neither seeing that boy nor did she give any such statement to the magistrate. My sister (the girl’s mother) was present during her questioning and none of what is being claimed was said,” the uncle told Swarajya, and broke down again.

“She is a child! She doesn’t understand anything. You know, ever since she has returned, she has been asking us not to take stress and cry, telling us she has done nothing wrong. She doesn’t even know what has happened with her,” he said.

He expressed the family’s helplessness in dealing with the onslaught of abuse. “We are a poor family. We are finding it difficult to even fight this kidnap-and-rape case. How on earth are we going to tackle the propaganda to malign the girl?!” he said, asking public groups to come forward to help the family “send these men to jail”.

“Given the taboo attached to rape in society, we are already in deep trouble. We can’t decide whether to continue her studies in Delhi or bring her here,” he said.

The family is also not satisfied with the police investigation into the case. “Despite repeated requests, we have not been handed a copy of the FIR (first information report) in the case. We have also not been given a copy of my niece’s statement to the magistrate. Even the maulvi was arrested only five days after the girl was traced despite our repeated allegations that he was involved,” he said.