Ten rapists punished in 2017
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 07 2018: In 2017,ten rapists who were found guilty in eight cases were punished according to law and one of them was awarded death penalty by the proscribed UNLF while another was shot as punishment.

In cases of sexual assaults against women, Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2013 and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012 have provisions for punishment but in many rape cases, there are grievances over the inability of the law to penalise all the offenders.

However, in 2017, the declaration of ten rapists as guilty has given hope and brought a sense of justice to the victims.

On the other hand, the banned UNLF in its campaign against assault and violence on women had shot dead one rape accused and another was shot and wounded as punishment while offering a sense of security and justice amongst the public.

Sexual assaults that are perpetrated on women cause not only physical harm but also psychological trauma to the victims for a long period of time.

The injury is also inflicted on them twice too; first, when the sexual crime is committed and second, when they have to live their daily lives with the memories of traumatic experience of the crime.

The circumstance is dangerous as well as tragic for a victim.

However, on account of several reasons, the accused individuals go scot-free.

One of the main reasons is patriarchy in which women and their roles are often downplayed or are considered as secondary.

Besides, there are factors such as that of fear and if they manage to talk about a horrible incident, it becomes even more disadvantageous for them at many levels in such a society.

Many of the cases are usually settled through reconciliation between the families or often they would resort to customary rules in which the offender would gift a cow, pig or buffalo and make negotiations.

Then there are also instances of delay and negligence when a crime is reported to the police.

This is one of the major factors why there is a low number of conviction in rape cases.

The police would not investigate on time or file a chargesheet and even if there is a chargesheet, they are unable to collect evidences resulting in the rapists escaping the penalty and punishment.

According to media reports, 2017 saw the highest number of rape convictions in the State.

In 2013, six rapists who were involved in two gangrape cases were convicted.

Two of the cases in which the rapists were penalised in the shortest time included the March 21-22, 2012 incident in which a 40-year-old u-morok seller was sexually violated by four rapists, namely, Chungkham Ibomcha, Salam Bijen, Laikhuram Rojit and Kshetrimayum Kenedy.

On June 26, 2013, the Sessions Judge Manipur West Salam Imocha penalised them with imprisonment for ten years and a fine of Rs 5000 each.

In another incident of raping a student of TG Higher Secondary School on October 20, 2012 inside a restaurant, Sessions Judge Imphal East A Guneshwar sentenced singer-actor Thongam Tarun and commando personnel Yumnam William to 15-year imprisonment on December 12, 2013 .

These two cases showed that offenders can be booked under the law if there is pressure from the public and the police investigate the cases properly on time and trials are conducted at the earliest.

On November 19, 2012, a watchman of a private school, identified as Polmei outraged the modesty of a four-year-old girl.

Sessions Judge A Guneshwar also convicted him on March 24, 2015 under the POCSO Act and sentenced the rapist to 10-year imprisonment.

This was the first case in which a conviction was made under the POCSO Act in Manipur.

On August 4, 2015, Sessions Judge A Guneshwar further sentenced Laishram Joykumar, 44 to imprisonment for 14 years for raping a differently abled girl on October 11, 2013 .

On October.

27, 2016, under the POCSO Act, Angom Sanathoi was sentenced to imprisonment for seven years for raping a five-year-old girl.

In 2017, out of the ten cases, seven of the rapists were convicted in as many cases under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act.

Three of them who were found guilty in a gangrape case were also penalised under IPC Section 376 .

Under Section 4 of the POCSO Act, Sandham Ibungcha from Uyumpok Mamang Leikai, Imphal East was found guilty of raping a 13-year old girl on August 10, 2014 and was sentenced to imprisonment for five years on May 7, 2017 .

Nongthombam Barun from Urup Litan Makhong, Imphal East was found guilty of raping a seven-year old girl in December 2014 .

On March 26, 2014, Laishram Bijoy from Pangei Yangdong was found guilty of raping a four-year-old girl and was sentenced to jail for a five-year term on June 22.Huidrom Sanjay aka Khaba from Irengband Sabal Leikai, Kakching was found guilty of raping a girl studying in Class 9 and was sentenced to jail for a eight-year term on July 4.In September 2015, Huidrom Bheigya from Komlakhong Ireima Makha Leikai, Imphal West outraged the modesty of a nine-year-old girl and was sentenced to an imprisonment for 12 years on October 12.RK Yaima from Ningthoukhong Maning Leikai was found guilty of raping a young girl in March 2013 and was sentenced to imprisonment for 12 years.

A resident of Ngairangbam Makha Leikai under Patsoi Police Station, Chanambam Brojen, age 42, was found guilty of raping a five-year-old girl and was sentenced to imprisonment for 5 years.

He had committed the crime on April 4, 2012.After going through the traumatic experience for a long time, the young victim lost her life on July 28, 2016.One of the significant cases in 2017 was the incident of January 22, 2014 in which a 26-year-old girl was gangraped by Khuraijam Bungbung, 30, from Lamlongei, Nongthombam Bocha aka Biren, 40, from Lamlongei Mantripukhri Makha Leikai and Khuraiiam Khamba 26, from the same neighbourhood.

The trio were penalised under IPC Section 376.All the rapists were also directed to pay compensation to the victims.

The rapist who was given death penalty by the UNLF was Irom Bobo.

44, from Tharoijam Maning Leikai.

He had sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl on July 1, 2013 .

Sandham Bhogen from Sairem Khun Mayai Leikai, Imphal West was shot in the chest, right abdomen and left arm as punishment by the UNLF for raping a girl of six on December 3, 2013 .

With the rising cases of rape and sexual assaults, there has been a consensus that rapists should be put to trial at the earliest; besides, counselling rape victims in addition to medical treatment and interim relief should be provided to them until final judgment.

The Government has been appealed to provide necessary assistance to bring back the survivors and victims to mainstream society.

The public also wish that the police and the Court will close more cases and deliver justice in 2018 .

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