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RAIPUR: Two slaps — that’s all the punishment for attempted rape, according to a district panchayat in Chhattisgarh’s Jashpur. Videos of the panchayat sitting in judgement and giving this outlandish verdict went viral on Saturday, prompting police to register an FIR. What’s worse, the panchayat had asked the survivor — a collegoer — not to approach police.

The 20-year-old survivor was returning from college when the accused, Nitesh Bhagat, approached her on his bike and offered her a lift home on Thursday. The girl accepted but soon regretted it when Bhagat started molesting her while driving the bike, she alleged. He drove her to an isolated location and tried to rape her, but she fought him off and ran all the way home.

She informed her family about the incident but the panchayat allegedly insisted on “taking up the matter” on Friday. With Bhagat allegedly close to a Congress legislator, panchayat members called his family and sentenced a “punishment of two slaps on “Bhagat”.

Bhagat’s sister slapped him and forced him to touch the survivor’s feet. Some villagers took videos of the entire proceedings and posted them on social media. On Saturday, mediapersons flocked to the village, and the survivor decided to approach police.

Jashpur SP SL Baghel said a case has been lodged against the accused, who is yet to be arrested. Asked if police would take action against the panchayat members, the SP said they are investigating the case.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

