Bhopal, June 15: In a bizarre incident,  father of a 17-year-old rape survivor in Madhya Pradesh was ordered to throw a non-vegetarian feast to villagers in order to purify his daughter, who was raped earlier this year. According to reports, the father alleged that the village panchayat in Rajgarh district had ordered ostracisation (excluding from society or community) of his family after the incident. The panchayat said they would accept her back in the community only if her father gives the entire village a non-vegetarian feast to 'purify her'. According to a report by NDTV, the girl’s father said he failed to follow the order of throwing a feast to the community, after which the family was declared an outcast. Uttar Pradesh: Rape Survivor in Gonda Commits Suicide After Police Frees Accused.

“They are asking for 'bhandara (community feast)' but I don't have money. They don't invite us for any function. If I don't get support, I won't survive," the father was quoted by a report by NDTV. The report further adds saying that the panchayat said the accused is from a lower caste, so they need to purify his daughter.

The district administration said that preliminary investigations reveal that the father's allegations were untrue and no villagers were involved in the incident. Reports inform that the minor was raped while on her way home in January this year, following which the accused was arrested and sent to judicial custody.

After the incident, the survivor's family was ostracised. The family of the victim lodged a complaint on Thursday with the local Women and Child Development (WCD) officials. A team of officials who visited the village for further investigation, found a "mutually decided" ceremony had been organised.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 15, 2019 01:07 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).