Patna: Members of a panchayat in Bihar's Gaya district "punished" a gangraped minor girl by tonsuring her head and parading her through the village, a police officer said here on Wednesday. The 15-year-old girl was kidnapped by residents of her village on August 14 and gangraped, sources in the police headquarters said. The girl narrated the incident to her parents who then approached the local panchayat for justice two days later.

However, the members of the panchayat accused the girl of making unfounded allegations against the accused, who enjoy clout in the area, and punished the minor by tonsuring and parading her through the village, they said. The incident came to light when the victim and her parents lodged a telephonic complaint with the office of the Director General of Police a week after the panchayat's verdict.