Shillong, May 04: The CSWO condemns the actions of the Traditional Heads of the village of Umkadhor, Ri Bhoi District, Meghalaya, who threatened and hushed up a rape case committed by one Tuesday Syngkli of the same Village in the year 2015 against a young girl who was from another village.
The family of a young girl had earlier complained to the village heads about the rape hoping they would hand over the person to the police but since the complaint was by the clan head, it was later hushed up and the parents of the young girl have today 4/5/2017, gone to file an FIR in Nongpoh PS, Ribhoi District Meghalaya, against Tuesday Syngkli from Umkadhor Village for rape of their daughter who was working in his house in 2015. As she was studying in a school near by the family were assured of schooling and she could help out in the house of Tuesday who had a family with 2 children.
He took advantage of the situation and had raped and gagged her mouth and had threatened that she should not tell anyone but even then she informed her family and the clan had written to the headman about the incident. Instead things were being hushed up and the clan head has most probably according to her relatives, has withdrawn the complaint and village elders threatened that they should not report the matter to the Police.
It is revealed by the sister of the victim that she has delivered a baby girl and the child is now about 10 months old. Today they seek Justice, and delay was not intentional.
The CSWO urge the authorities to assist the girl and provide her justice and arrest the rapist and those involved even in hushing up the crime, as rape is a heinous crime not only against women and children but against the society as a whole.
It has also come to the notice of the CSWO that the perpetrators of such crimes go to the District Councils Courts to avail of Anticipatory bail and are granted bail easily without going through records of the case. One such case that was brought to the notice of the CSWO is a case in Mawkyrwat where a person was given anticipatory bail by the District Council Court in a rape case. This indulgence gives these perpetrators a boost as they feel they can pay their way to freedom. The CSWO urges the Courts to be more judicious so that justice is provided to the victims of these crimes which are on the rise, even if there is no objection from the prosecution who are at times compromised. The CSWO also suggest that bail in a rape case should only be moved in the court where the FIR lies so that the judge goes through the case before giving the bail.