The mother of a juvenile who was raped and murdered on Tuesday claimed she was facing problems encashing a cheque given by the Vaishali district administration as compensation.

Kusumi Devi's daughter Dika Kumari was raped and murdered at her residential Ambedkar Government Girls High School, Dighi Mazirabad, in Vaishali in January. Kusum claimed she had been trying to encash the cheque of Rs 4.12 lakh for six months but had failed. This is the first instalment of a total compensation of around Rs 8 lakh.

"Initially, I had refused to take the cheque as the culprits had not been arrested and I was demanding their immediate arrest," Kusumi said during a news meet organised by the state branch of All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA).

"Soon after the arrest of those who perpetrated the crime, I was again approached by the authorities concerned to accept the cheque. This time I accepted it because I have three more daughters and a son to take care of. I deposited the cheque in my account at Allahabad Bank in March. But the money has not reached my account yet. I went to meet the officials concerned with the Vaishali administration. They revalidated the cheque. It was again deposited but the money has not reached my account. I have been meeting authorities in the past six months but in vain. I was given a Bank of Baroda cheque while I hold an account with Allahabad Bank. I don't know whether the money lies in Bank of Baroda or with Allahabad Bank."

Meena Tiwary, general secretary of the state branch of AIPWA, said the authorities concerned were unnecessarily harassing the woman. "The quantum of compensation in a case like this cannot be estimated with precision or on the basis of structured formula. The injury to a raped girl's body, mind, dignity and reputation as well the emotional trauma her family goes through cannot be measured in terms of money. But compensation money to some extent helps the family and this right of rape victims and their family must be protected," Tiwary said.