Imphal, November 21: Taking a serious note of the reported rape of a woman and her mother-in-law to be by four persons including a cadre of the PREPAK, the outfit today said its cadre involved in the rape of the two women would be awarded the capital punishment.

The two women were raped by the four persons, including the PREPAK cadre at Sekmajin on November 19 at about 8.30 pm.

In a statement, the commanding officer-II of the Red Army of PREPAK said that the guilty cadre, Laishram Herojit (31) son of Iboyaima would be awarded the death penalty.

The outfit said that Herojit had taken leave from November 13 till 20 and the incident occurred while he was on his way back to report for duty.

The three others are identified as Nongthongbam Awangba son of Mahajan of Sekmaijin Khongam Awang Leikai, Laishram Bungcha (30) son of Muhindro and Thoudam Doren (28) son of Beikul of Sekmaijin bazar.

PREPAK asked the three to surrender to the outfit soon or else they would also be given the death penalty.

Earlier, the two women in the presence of the All Manipur Muslim Students' Organisation had narrated the sordid details of how they were raped by the four.

A JAC against the rape has also been formed.

During a media briefing held yesterday evening, the JAC said that the incident occurred while the young woman was eloping with her beau on November 19 evening.

The mother of her boyfriend also accompanied them.

A friend of the boy also accompanied them.

When they approached the Primary Health Centre at Sekmaijin they were accosted by the four youths in the name of PREPAK, they said and after tying up the boy and his friend, the young woman and her boy friend's mother were dragged into a vehicle parked nearby.

The two women were then raped by two of the youths, they recounted.

The girl's boy friend and his companion managed to escape and raise an alarm but by they came back, the four had escaped.

Earlier in the day before PREPAK pronounced the death penalty, a public meeting held at Sekmaijin Thongkhong Community Hall was held in connection with the rape of the two women.

The meeting served an ultimatum to PREPAK to pull up and give befitting punishment to the culprits within the next 24 hours.

The PREPAK cadre is identified as Laishram Herojit of Sekmaijin Thongam.

Expressing strong condemnation of the rape, the public meeting has also demanded the outfit to come out a rehabilitation policy for two women victims apart from punishing the culprits in front of the public.

Along with formation of a Joint Action Committee (JAC) and entrusting with the task of spearheading agitation with the support of the people for doing justice to the victims, the meeting has also unanimously elected 18 office bearers of the JAC.

Meanwhile, in separate statements to made available to the press, JAC Minuthong-Golapati and Ideal Development Association, Golapati have announced their decision of extending full support to the cause of the JAC and have urged the Government for taking up necessary measures for arresting the culprits and giving them befitting punishment.

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