Nun gang rape case: NHRC issues notice to WB govt, seeks report within 2 weeks

"The National Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a 71 year old nun was raped by a gang of seven dacoits inside a Convent in Gangnapur village of Nadia district in West Bengal on the 14th March, 2015. Reportedly, the victim along with another nun tried to thwart the robbery attempt on the premises of the Convent. However, the dacoits tied up the other nun and raped the victim in front of her. They also made away with 10 to 12 lakh rupees in cash," NHRC said in a statement.

"The Commission has observed that the contents of the press report, if true, amount to serious violation of human rights of victim. Accordingly, it has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police, West Bengal calling for reports in the matter within two weeks," it added.

Meanwhile, the Vatican conclave's youngest cardinal and India's top bishop met the nun who was raped last week.

Addressing the media after the meeting, cardinal Baselios Cleemis said, "We will ensure that justice is done and served... and is visible... miscreants are brought to appropriate action."

"We have nothing to do with the political parties in India... We see this incident in isolation," said the Cardinal.

He is scheduled to meet the Chief Minister in the evening, reports said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed "deep concern" over the gang-rape of a 71-year-old nun in West Bengal's Nadia district.

He had also sought reports on both of the incidents that kicked up uproar across the country with the opposition taking up the issue to assail the government in Parliament.

"PM is deeply concerned about the incidents in Hisar, Haryana and Nadia, West Bengal," the Prime Minister's Office had tweeted.

"PMO has asked for immediate report on facts & action taken regarding the incidents in Haryana & West Bengal," the tweet had said.

In West Bengal, shops and schools  were closed at Ranaghat in Nadia district on Tuesday in protest against "police inaction" following early Saturday's incident in which a septuagenarian nun of a convent was gang-raped by robbers.

The miscreants also robbed Rs. 12 lakh and valuables before escaping.

Demanding that the culprits be immediately arrested, local people barred the way of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's vehicle on Monday as she visited the area and detained her for more than an hour.

So far, police have detained 10 people for questioning but no arrests have been made even though the CCTV footage of four of the robbers has been made public.