Girl inmates seek justice
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 11 2015: Girl inmates, who recently fled North Eastern Children's Home (NECH), Churachandpur, have sought justice for the alleged sexual harassment meted out to them by its administrator L Timothy Changsan.

Narrating their ordeal to The Sangai Express, a 15-year-old girl inmate said that Timothy raped her and other inmates on several occasions in the past 2-3 years.

She said that all the girl inmates are studying in a school being run by the authority of NECH.

Saying that all the girls are not allowed to move out of the compound of NECH, the girl said that Timothy raped her for the first time inside the guest house of the children in September/November 2013 .

She further said that the administrator threatened her with dire consequences if she revealed the crime to anybody.

As she could not tolerate the repeated sexual harassments, she requested Timothy to stop it through written notes on two different occasions this year.

However, instead of showing mercy, Timothy continued the crime till the girl finally revealed the matter to the warden, who helped the girls to inform the matter to the police.

Another 15-year-old girl said that Timothy raped her five times since December last year.

She said that she was even beaten up when she refused Timothy's sexual advances.

The girl said that she along with six other inmates fled the children home as she wanted to be free from Timothy's clutches.

The girls went to Children's Observation Home, Churachandpur before they approached Child Welfare Committee, run under Social Welfare Department, she said.

She demanded the authority concerned to award capital punishment to Timothy for the crime he had meted out to innocent destitute girls.

Representatives of Destitute Children Home and Lower Lamka Women Society said that police arrested Timothy after the girls lodged a complaint against him on February 26 last.

Saying that a case has been taken up against him by Churachandpur police under 354/376 (C) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offenders Rule 2012, they said that both the girls were medically examined in the Forensic Department of RIMS hospital on February 28 .

They further said that Timothy runs NECH together with North East Children's Academic School.

All the inmates of NECH are reading in his school, they added.

Manipur Alliance for Child Rights convenor Keisham Pradipkumar said that the matter needs thorough investigation.

He added that the authority concerned must look into other children homes as well.

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