In a tragic incident, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Sangvi village near Naigaon, the birthplace of Savitribai Phule, took her own life by hanging due to alleged eve-teasing and molestation.
The girl, who had reportedly been molested and teased by a group of youths, penned a letter before her suicide, demanding strict action against the main accused, Akshay Landge. The cops have arrested the accused.
On November 29, a concerned student from Sangvi, Khandala, had filed a molestation complaint against Akshay Popat Landge (20 years old, resident of Khandala) with the Shirval Police.
Although Landge was initially arrested, he was released on bail the next day, despite the case being registered under POCSO. The victim's mother also filed a complaint with the Shirval police, expressing dissatisfaction with the lack of stringent action against the accused.
Harassment continued even after FIR
The accused continued to harass the girl even after the FIR and allegedly assaulted her mother in retaliation to the complaint. Frustrated with the continuous harassment, the girl hanged herself in her residence on Saturday. Upon learning of the incident, her family rushed her to a private hospital in Shirwal, where doctors declared her dead after examination.
The release of the accused on bail despite the molestation complaint added to the distress of the victim's family. Tensions escalated as relatives protested at the Shirval police station, demanding justice and the immediate arrest of the accused. The family and villagers expressed anger over the girl's tragic suicide, calling for severe punishment for those responsible.
