Army Jawans Rapes Three Women, Protest in Assam

Posted on April 11, 2015 0 Comments106

By Sarat Sarma

Thousands of women on Thursday took out a rally in Diphu demanding a high-level inquiry into the alleged rape of three women by army jawans in Dokmoka on Monday. The women, under the banner of the Karbi Nimso Chinthur Asong (Karbi Progressive Women’s Association), later gheraoed the office of Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Mukul Gogoi and submitted a memorandum.

According to police, a team of eight jawans allegedly raped three women, including a teenager, at Khorsim Athor village in Anjukpani under Dokmoka police station on Monday. Villagers lodged an FIR in Dokmoka police station on Wednesday night and produced the three victims before the police. Khorsin Athoi is 55km from Diphu, the Karbi Anglong district headquarters.

According to sources, the jawans on patrol reached the village and allegedly took a 13-year-old to the neighbouring jungle. The girl’s mother and another relative later reached the site to rescue her. According to reports, the jawans allegedly raped the other two women as well. “When they brought the girl we had thought the jawans would take her to the army camp. When we saw them taking the girl to the jungle, we suspected she was in danger and we rushed to the site. When we reached the jungle, we found the jawans raping the girl. We tried to rescue her but they targeted us too,” said a source quoting the three victims.

Karbi Anglong superintendent of police M.J. Mahanta said after medical examination of the three, a team headed by deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) L. Singhson has been formed to conduct an inquiry into the incident. “We have already intimated the matter to the army who in return assured us of all support. Already two cases have been registered in Dokmoka police station,” Mahanta said. Mahanta said the condition of the teenager is stable.

“We acknowledge that an FIR has been lodged. We are fully cooperating with the police and the investigation. We learnt that the investigation team has gone to the spot. We are also carrying out our internal investigation and if the allegations are found to be true, appropriate action will be taken against the accused according to the law,” said defence public relations officer Suneet Newton.

Asked if the accused would be handed over to the police in case the jawans are found guilty, he said, “When the findings of the investigation come out, the competent authority will take a decision on this, explicitly according to the provisions of law.”

According to Dokmoka police, some clothes of the jawans were recovered from the jungle. “All these would be sent to a laboratory for tests,” Mahanta said. Karbi Anglong deputy commissioner Gogoi said the additional deputy commissioner Hunmili Terangpi has been directed to carry out an inquiry into the incident.

“We want a high-level inquiry of the incident and adequate compensation for the victims. The administration should punish culprits according to law,” said KNCA leader Seema Ranghangpi. Deployment of the army in the two hill districts of Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao has been on since long to carry out operation against militant outfits along with police and central paramilitary forces.
“These incidents have taken place earlier too,” alleged senior KNCA leader Kajek Tokbipi.

106 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.