Imphal, March 10 2009: Some personnel of Thoubal District Police Commando have been accused of sexual exploitation and snatching money from six commercial sex workers (CSWs).

When contacted, SSP of Thoubal police Clay Khongsai said that it is hard to believe that his men could have done such a thing and added that if the allegations are true then formal complaints should be lodged with the authority concerned.

No woman, whether they are Commercial Sex Workers or otherwise cannot be molested, said the IPS officer and added that if an official complaint is lodged and if anyone is found guilty, then departmental action can be taken up.

Narrating about the horrendous incident, the victims disclosed that they were molested by the police commandos after forcing them to take off all their clothes.

In addition to handling private parts, the commandos also reportedly abused the CSWs with filthy and derogatory languages.

Speaking to media persons at North AOC here this afternoon, the victims disclosed that the terrifying incidents occurred in the intervening night of February 27 and 28. Recalling about the nightmarish incident, the senior most victim of the sexual assault, said that they saw a woman in inebriated condition walking on the road with her clothes in total disarray at about 8 pm of February 27. As curfew was in force then, they took the women inside the hotel at North AOC where the six of them were staying.

Giving her clothes to change, the woman was allowed to sleep in the hotel.

But at about midnight, the unidentified woman woke up and started wailing asking why she was being arrested.

She also asked to release her.

As the six of them were trying to pacify the agitated woman, three persons in police uniform wielding weapons and another in civilian fatigue barged into the room after breaking down the door.

Even as the CSWs tried to explain about the woman, the intruders shouted back, "There is no use for women like you.

We have additional bullets to eliminate you.

Why you infected women are trying to spread diseases to other?" Saying this, the intruders started beating up the CSWs, the victim recounted.

In the meantime, the suspected commando personnel ordered the CSWs to take off their clothes threatening to shoot if they refused.

Then they started molesting the helpless victims, man-handling all their body parts.

The assailants also inserted sticks into the private parts of the women.

Later, asking the six women to put on their clothes, the intruders ordered them to alight a Bolero jeep.

After driving the jeep for a while, the assailants asked the women whether they be left back at an isolated place or be handed over to police.

To this, the victims requested to hand over to police.

But against the request of the victims, the CSWs were ordered out of the jeep at an isolated place.

There the assailants once again molested the youngest of the victims who is just about 16 years old, the victim disclosed.

The armed persons then demanded oral sex from the girl.

As the girl refused, she was beaten up severely.

The assailants also took away Rs 400 from her.

Later they were handed over to Imphal police station at about 2.30 am of February 28.There, it was realised that the assailants were personnel of Thoubal Police commando, said another victim.

She said that they could not disclose the incident all these days out of fear.

But at the same time, the CSWs can no longer tolerate all the harassments they are being subjected to every day, apart from such extreme cases.

This prompted the CSWs to disclose the shameful incident, she confided.

Apart from molestation and rape, the CSWs are being subjected to several cases of harassments such forcing them to take off their clothes, taking photographs in cell phones, confiscating money etc.

The victims also showed several bruises they suffered on their bodies on the day.

They also complained of pain in their private parts during urination after the assault.

Decrying the sexual and physical assault meted out to them by commandos, the victims demanded befitting punishment to all the commando personnel involved in the shameful incident.

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