[ Karyir Riba ]
ROING, 3 Apr: The recent consecutive rape cases that surfaced in Lower Dibang Valley (LDV) district have become a matter of concern for the people, along with the lawmakers and various committees working for the welfare of women and children here.
A missing child report that was submitted on 1 March and was solved the very next day after the girl was found by the police drastically turned into a rape case. The straightforward case took a major turn when the minor revealed that she was subjected to sexual abuse by her employer. This revelation came 16 days after she was found by the police.
As per police reports, the minor worked as a domestic help for one Aka Kalung. She told the police that she did not want to go back to her employer’s house because she was beaten by him for not wearing a mask.
During her initial counselling with IO A Pansa, she did not reveal anything else but was adamant on not going back to her employer’s place. She was then placed at the child care institute (CCI) here.
She had counselling sessions with the counsellor of the district child protection unit and the CCI but she did not disclose anything. It was only on 18 March – 16 days after her placement at the CCI – that she revealed to the DCPU counsellor that she was sexually abused by Kalung.
Then, on 22 March, the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) chairperson made the police aware of the sexual abuse and lodged a complaint at the Roing police station.
Immediately, a medical examination and age determination test were done on the girl, which stated that “there are signs of suggestive penetrative intercourse but no signs of suggestive recent forceful vaginal or anal intercourse, and the age of the victim is in between 12 and 15 years.”
Reportedly, the alleged accused has fled from the district after learning that the girl has made rape allegations against him. He managed to get an interim bail from the high court before registration of the case.
LDV SP JK Lego said that the investigation of the case is in its final stage.
“We could not disclose any information to the media during our investigation because it involves a child. It is indeed sad that no media person had spoken to us to learn about the case before putting it in print and on social media, based on hearsay. We should understand the sensitivity of such cases, especially when it involves minors. When the case is under investigation, it shouldn’t garner too much focus for the benefit of the minor involved,” he said.
According to police data, 20 crimes against children have been registered since 2017 to March 2021, out of which 13 cases are of rape and molestation.
When asked about what action his department is taking to curb this number, the SP said that “first of all, strict action will be taken to identify minors being kept as domestic help.”
“Most victims of such abuses are the vulnerable sections – in this case, minor domestic help. So, it is important to check this practice,” he said, adding that people should come forward to report such incidents, and that awareness should be created regarding the criminal gravity of the matter.
“Regular awareness programmes should be conducted at schools by the education department, ICDS, CWC, CCI, Childline and the police. When it comes to the police department, we are going to bring in resource persons and train police officers to tackle and handle such cases,” said Lego, and added that, if convicted, rapists should be given stringent punishment under the law.
In the second rape case, which was widely circulated on social media by one ‘Anonymous’, the alleged ‘victim’ filed an FIR against an unknown complainant regarding the rape and molestation of an adoptive daughter by her father and his friend.
According to the anonymous letter, a 13-year-old domestic help was sexually abused in Sirang village in Dambuk circle. A letter was also received by the Dambuk ADC regarding the matter, which was undersigned by the chairperson and secretary of some women’s welfare society, the existence of which is doubtful.
The names of those who signed are not mentioned in the letter, and no one has called or come to the ADC regarding the matter. However, he immediately passed on the matter to the Dambuk OC for investigation because of the seriousness of the matter.
Both the letters also mention the name of the girl, the alleged victim.
According to the police, the family was shocked to hear of the rape allegation. In her FIR, the daughter said that she is 20 years old and was adopted by her family as a little girl with permission from her late parents. She said that the rape allegation was false and baseless, and has been causing a lot of mental trauma to her and her parents.
She said that they have been facing extreme shame and defamation, and has pleaded with the police to “trace out the culprit behind this and punish them for their wrongdoing.”
The mother said that they are living in extreme fear. “My daughter and I lock the doors and remain indoors when her father is not home. We sit huddled with sticks to protect ourselves,” she said.
SP Lego said that the matter is under investigation and so he would not be able to say much about it.
