‘No Less Than Nirbhaya’: Victim Of Unspeakable Crime, Deaf-Mute UP Girl Fights For Life | Sunday Special

Last Updated:August 24, 2025, 08:30 IST

While doctors strive to rebuild the 11-year-old’s battered body, her family battles poverty, stigma and sleepless nights, demanding death for her rapist

A colostomy was done—her intestine was pulled out from the stomach to pass stool and urine, a treating doctor explained, adding that she will require at least two reconstructive surgeries once the wounds heal. Representational image/AI-generated

“She may not be Nirbhaya, but her wounds are no less than hers," said the mother of an 11-year-old mentally challenged girl from Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district, recalling the brutality her deaf-and-mute daughter was forced to endure. Four months ago, the child was brutally raped by a villager and left to die. “Her injuries were so severe that doctors had to pull out her intestine through the abdomen to create an alternate passage for passing waste. We spend sleepless nights watching over her, fearing she might unknowingly harm herself in her sleep," the mother of the Dalit girl told News18.

Four months on, the child’s fight for survival continues. Her family, weighed down by poverty and grief, finds itself trapped in a cycle of medical expenses, social stigma, and unending trauma. Though the rapist has been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, the parents say nothing short of a death sentence will deliver justice. “For what he did to our innocent, mentally challenged daughter, nothing less than death can be justice," they said.

The night that changed everything

The ordeal began on April 15 this year, when the girl did not return after going towards the fields near her home in the Safni police station area. As evening turned into night, her family’s frantic search ended in horror when they found her lying unconscious in a field. Her face bore scratch marks, her clothes were bloodstained, and her body showed signs of severe assault.

Unable to speak or hear, the girl could not narrate her trauma. But a medical examination confirmed rape. Police later recovered CCTV footage showing local villager Dan Singh Yadav, 28, taking her along that evening. “The CCTV footage was crucial. It clearly established the accused’s movements with the girl. He was arrested promptly and booked under POCSO," a senior Rampur police officer said.

Fast-track trial, but family unsatisfied

On August 11, within just four months of the incident, a special POCSO court in Rampur convicted Yadav and awarded him life imprisonment with a fine of Rs 6 lakh. Special Judge Ramgopal Singh termed the evidence “clear and indisputable", noting the brutality inflicted on the child.

While police hailed the swift investigation and trial, the family expressed disappointment. “The monster destroyed her forever. Life sentence means he will still live. Why should he get a chance to live when my daughter’s life has been snatched away? Only hanging him will bring peace," the victim’s uncle said, adding that the family would soon appeal in the High Court.

Medical ordeal: A life on hold

The girl’s condition remains critical. Doctors at Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut, where she was treated for 14 days, had to create a temporary diversion for waste discharge. “The child had 11 injuries, including deep lacerations on her genitals. Repair was not possible immediately. A colostomy was done—her intestine was pulled out from the stomach to pass stool and urine," explained Dr Sheetal, one of the treating doctors. “She will require at least two reconstructive surgeries once the wounds heal."

But the procedures are costly and time-consuming. Until then, the girl survives with her intestines outside her abdomen, covered only with a piece of cloth. She requires colostomy bags costing Rs 270 each—sometimes two a day. The family cannot afford them regularly. Instead, her mother ties a cloth around her stomach and cleans her with cotton after every bathroom visit.

“She points to her stomach and groin in pain. I watch her all night so she doesn’t scratch or hurt herself. I cannot sleep. Our life revolves around her wounds now," her mother said.

Living with open wounds

Inside their two-room mud house, poverty is etched into every corner—unplastered walls, a yellow clay floor, and the absence of proper sanitation. The father, himself mildly mentally challenged, is unable to provide a steady income. The mother picks up farm labour whenever work is available, but the family’s survival now depends almost entirely on the shoulders of the girl’s elder brother.

The 24-year-old had once been employed at a cosmetics factory in Baddi, Himachal Pradesh, drawing a monthly salary of Rs 20,000. But the assault on his younger sister turned his life upside down. “I rushed home the moment I heard. After seeing her condition, I couldn’t return to work. For the past four months, I have been running between police stations and courts. Whatever we had saved was spent on legal battles. Now, with the case over, I am searching for work again—this time in Rampur so that I can stay close to my family," he said.

‘Our daughters don’t leave the house anymore’

The girl’s elder sister, once cheerful and outgoing, now lives in constant fear. She has stopped stepping outside, a decision the family takes as a precaution.

“We cannot risk sending her out. Our daughters don’t leave the house anymore. This crime has shattered our peace forever," said the girl’s uncle, who also played a key role in pursuing the legal case.

Beyond the financial and medical crisis lies the burden of social stigma. The family says villagers whisper about the assault, and the child is sometimes looked at with pity or suspicion. “We feel isolated. People look at her differently. For us, every day is like living in a hospital ward. There is no joy, no laughter," the mother said.

Poverty, stigma, and shattered lives

Doctors say the girl may take months, even years, to heal. Surgery can only be attempted after her wounds close completely. Even then, there is no guarantee of full recovery.

For now, the family is pinning its hopes on the compensation fine imposed on the convict, though they fear delays. “That six lakh, if it ever comes, may help us buy medical bags and pay for surgeries. But even money cannot give her a normal life back," the uncle said.

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August 24, 2025, 08:30 IST

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