Rape accused remanded to police custody
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 04 2018:
A 25 year old rape accused, who works as a school van driver, was remanded to police custody for four days by special POCSO Court Imphal West today.
The rape accused Irom Rakesh alias Naoba (25) s/o Irom Bira of Lamboikhongnangkhong Mamang Leikai was produced before the Court by a team of Imphal West women police with a prayer for four days police custody.
The Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, through the APP, submitted that on April 3, at around 11.30 am, the mother of the victim girl lodged a written complaint to the OC Imphal West women police station stating that the Irom Rakesh had committed aggravated sexual assault against her daughter inside his van on her way back home the previous day.
The APP submitted that on examination of the victim girl, she stated that she was dropped at her school by her father in the morning and after the school was over she was picked up by the accused van driver and she was made to sit in the front seat of the van, with four other students on the back seat.
After dropping the other students at their respective homes, the accused asked the victim to sit nearer to him and then committed the crime.
The APP further submitted that during preliminary interrogation, the accused admitted that he had committed the crime by touching the private parts of the victim and prayed for remanding the accused in police custody for four days to extract more evidence and information in connection with the case.
The Court explained to the accused person the reason for his arrest and asked him as to whether he wanted to say anything.
After going through the submission of the IO, the Court also found sufficient grounds for allowing the prayer of the IO and remanded the accused to four days police custody, till April 7.Meanwhile condemning the alleged rape of a minor girl by her own school van driver at Nungoi Litan Makhong, Imphal East on April 2, AMSU (Women's Wing) has demanded stringent forms of punishment for the alleged rapists.
A minor girl who is studying in KG at GC CRPF Montessori School, Langjing, Imphal West was allegedly raped on April 2 at Nungoi Litan Makhong in Imphal East by her own school van driver, identified as one Irom Rakesh Singh alias Nanao (25) of Lamboikhongnangkhong Mamang Leikai, Imphal West.
Addressing a press meet at AMSU Headquarters near DM College Gate today, AMSU's Women Wing chairperson N Bidyarani decried that incidents of crimes against women, specially minor girls have been increasing in the State since the last few years.
She lamented that only few culprits have been given punishment till today and further urged the Government to take up appropriate steps to curb crimes against women.
Noting that minor girls have become soft target for rapists and sexual offenders in the State, Bidyarani opined that awarding stringent forms of punishment is necessary in this situation.
Parents will no longer feel secure in sending their daughters in school vans.
Hence, it is high time for all the associations related with school van drivers to take the matter very seriously and keep strict vigil on the behaviour and attitudes of van drivers, she added.
She maintained that all sections of the society must come forward to fight such form of evils and asked all women to stay alert all the time so that they do not fall prey to rapists.
Comment
