A 12-year-old girl in Chhattisgarh’s Kawardha district was sexually assaulted and then forced to shave her head by villagers for “purification”. Her family was also ordered by the village head, as part of the so-called cleansing, to throw a feast complete with meat and drinks. The girl’s attacker was let off with a fine. No one stopped the village head from meting out the diktat.

On January 21, the girl and her mother were working at a site where houses are being constructed under a central scheme. A man, Arjun Yadav, sexually assaulted the girl and fled, said senior police officer LU Singh.

The next day, villagers called a community meeting, where the girl’s attacker was “produced”. He was declared guilty but allowed to go after he paid a fine.

Later, on February 4, the elders in the village called another meeting where the child was ordered to take a bath and shave her head. The family was told to organise a grand feast of meat and alcoholic drinks for all the members of the community. This, the village head said, was for the “purification” of the girl.

The family is living in fear and the girl has not stepped out of her house. Police though say they will take strict action against the molester.