UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi today said perpetrators of barbaric crimes like rape must be severely punished. Ms Gandhi said this after meeting the family of a dalit teenaged girl, who immolated herself after being allegedly gang-raped in Jind in Haryana . She said those guilty of such heinous crimes, which take place not only in Haryana but elsewhere too, must be severely punished.
Ms Gandhi met the victim's family and assured them of all possible help.
When asked to comment on some Khap Panchayat or caste
council leaders in Haryana suggesting that marriageable age for girls should be reduced to 16 as this will help in curbing the increasing instances of rapes in the State, the UPA Chairperson rejected it. She said, the country has a democratic system and an independent judiciary and the law is in the hands of judiciary and nobody else. Ms Gandhi was accompanied by Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Union Minister Kumari Selja.

Two more rapes have been reported ahead of Congress President Sonia Gandhi's visit, in Haryana.While a minor was raped in Panipat,a widow was allegedly raped in Panipat.Police have registered a case. However, no arrests have been made so far.