Sheltering rape accused' slur on AR
18 yr old girl raise rape cry, protesting women thrashed, many condemn
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 14: Adding injury to insult, personnel of A Coy of the 38 Assam Rifles deployed at the Kotlien post brutally thrased a large number of women, who were demanding that a jawan of the unit, who has been accused of raping an 18 year old girl be handed over to them today.

Tension gripped Veitum Khullen in Senapati district under Sapermeina police station when an 18 year old girl was allegedly assaulted and raped by an Assam Rifles personnel yesterday at about 10 am.

The rape victim is identified as Nengneikim Haokip (18) daughter of Themang Haokip.

She is a student at a local school.

The alleged rape victim showing the spot where she was raped and the blood stain all over the place and women attacking the AR post - Pictures of AR personnel thrashing the women could not be taken due to threat perceptions

The young girl who narrated her ordeal to a team of media persons said that she had gone to a nearby spring to wash clothes yesterday at about 10 am.

At that time all the men folk and the adult members of the village had gone to the field for the day's work.

While she was washing her clothes, a jawan of the Assam Rifles identified as Nungthui Gangmei of Jalukie in Nagaland came near the place where she was washing clothes and started drinking from a bottle.

Not suspecting anything the girl continued with her chores.

However after some time, the jawan grabbed her from behind while she was washing the clothes, recalled the young girl and added that she raised a cry.

At this the jawan, gagged her mouth and as the struggle continued, he picked up a large stone and hit her thrice on the head and the waist, after which she lost consciousness.

The girl then added that when she regained consciousness after some time, she found that she had been completely disrobed with her clothes being thrown away.

The jawan was also still sitting there drinking, said said.

The media persons who were taken to the place where the rape allegedly took place found blood stains all over.

Her clothes were also blood stained.

Recalling her ordeal, the girl said that after regaining consciousness she realised what had happened and started crying.

The AR man tried to stop her from running away, but she somehow managed to dodge the jawan and ran all the way to her home, fully naked.

On reaching home, she put on a set of fresh clothes and accompanied by her mother went to the AR post at Kotlien to report the matter.

Dressings were provided for her injured head.

Dried blood cakes were still visible on the bandage on her head and other parts.

Later, the girl along with her parents were taken to the 38 AR Bn Hqs at Noney where she was again given some minor treatment.

As news of the rape spread, angry villagers along with AR personnel launched a search for the rape accused yesterday but he could not be found.

The rape accused was seen coming out from the house of one Tika Ram in a nearby Nepali village this morning.

The village chief of Neitum Khullen Songshomang Haokip along with another person identified as Henkhulun managed to over power the rape accused and brought him to their village.

At the village, the rape accused was handed over to the women folk.

However the jawan managed to escape and took refuge at the AR post at Kotlien.

Armed with sticks, the women folk then descended on the post and demanded that the rape accused be handed over to them.

As their demand was not met, the women folk started attacking the AR gate.

After some time, the Assam Rifles personnel charged out from the post and armed with sticks and bamboo poles started brutally thrashing the women folk.

One woman fainted in the middle of the road while many were injured, some of them seriously.

The Kuki Students has already informed the matter to the SP of Senapati over the phone.

However no police team arrived at the spot today.

Meanwhile the National Identity Protection Committee has stated that it will not take the rape lying down and added that the assault of the media persons is something which has no place in a democracy.