Raped, Murdered And Abandoned, Brief Tale Of A 16 Year Old Girl
Mother laments failure to pursue higher studies
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 15 2013:
"This year, my daughter was upset as she could not appear, like her friends, in the Class X examination, and the perpetrators took the advantage of her disturbed mind", lamented Tondon's mother.
16-year-old Khulem Tondon was raped, murdered and abandoned at Merakhong canal of Imphal West district under Lamshang Police Station on March 5 this year.
Although, Tondon was so keen to study further, she had to discontinue her study from Class VI in 2009 as her widowed mother could not afford to send both Tondon and her younger brother to school.
Had Tondon and her mother been aware of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education 2009, the girl could have fulfilled her dream.
However, it did not happen to Tondon.
According to the Juvenile Justice Act 2000, children below the age of 18 years are classified as minors and the children between the age group of 10 to 19 are known as adolescents.
Tondon was a minor and an adolscent at the time of her death.
Her mother Pishak bemoaned, my daughter used to say often, "My friends are going to appear in Class X examination this year" .
Khulem Tondon hailed from Luker Mayai Leikai of Imphal West district.
Her father Khulem Tolamu passed away in 2001 .
Her 50-year-old mother works as a labourer in the sand quarry to meet the needs of her family.
Tondon had two married elder sisters and a younger brother studying in Class VI .
Tondon tried hard to supplement the financial need of her family and support the education of her younger brother by engaging herself in weaving.
Pishak said, "I too was so upset as I could not send Tondon to school with her younger brother" .
She added that her daughter was a bright student, she always used to come in the first three rank every year when she was studying in Western High School.
As both her elders sisters were married in 2009, Tondon had to drop study that year as her mother could not afford to send both Tondon and her younger brother to school.
Pishak said, she beat Tondon in the night of March 2 as she received many anonymous phone calls for Tondon.
Pishak and her son then went to a house of their locality to enquire about sand quarry material.
When they returned home, Tondon was found runaway from their house, Pishak said.
When one of her uncles contacted Tondon over the phone, she told that she was at Tairenpokpi, Pishak said and added that she was aware that Tondon had a love relation with one Sanjit from Tairenpokpi.
Pishak further said, she however did not know about Lisham Naoba and Mutum Sanajaoba of Maklang, who allegedly raped and murdered her daughter.
Pishak said, police told her that the persons who called up Tondon in the night of March 2 were Naoba and Sanajaoba.
Contending that Sanjit had been released by the police saying that he was not involved in the crime, Pishak also demanded that the perpetrators be awarded capital punishment.
As Tondon was upset at that time for not being able to sit in Class X examination, the perpetrators took the advantage of her daughter's disturbed mind, Pishak lamented.
"I am feeling remorse for not sending my beloved daughter to school, and I want justice be done to the culprits", Pishak said.
Comment
