Meghalaya: Minor girl kidnapped and raped in North Garo Hills

Tura, Sep 22,2017: In a series of  sexual assault cases against minors in Garo Hills, a 12 yr old minor girl was kidnapped and raped by a 31 yr old man.

The incident took place this morning at about 9 am when the girl was on her way to school in the village of Konchikol Apal in Rajasimla under Kharkutta PS in North Garo Hills. The suspect, identified as 31 year old Sanjib Arengh is also a resident of the same area but has been absconding since the incident.

According to local sources, the victim was known to the culprit who used the same to waylay her into a secluded area before sexually assaulting the minor. Immediately after the incident became known, the culprit ran away from the village leaving behind his motorcycle.

Interestingly he had offered the girl Rs 50 as compensation for the sexual assault while also threatening to kill her if she reported anything to her parents or the police.

A group of NGOs which included the Mother’s Union, Kharkutta Youth Organization and Rajasimla Youth Council from the Kharkutta area later visited the victim. They along with the villagers of the area have been on a search of the culprit so that he can be handed over to the police, though he is yet to be caught till the filing of this report.

“We condemn the rape of the minor girl while she was going to school and seek the immediate arrest of the culprit for the act. Cases of sexual assault have been growing at an alarming rate and its time we all got together to try and end this menace through awareness or whatever means possible,” said the NGOs in a joint statement.

The NGO later held a meeting to decide on a future course of action to try and preempt cases of sexual abuse.

Speaking on the matter, the SP of NGH, Dalton P Marak said, “The matter has been reported to us but the culprit has managed to escape before being caught. We have, however seized his bike which he abandoned and a lookout notice has been issued.”

Source: https://thenortheasttoday.com