Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 01 2009:
In an incident that is as shocking as it is revulsive, a 67 year old woman has been raped by her son-in-law.
And what is more disheartening was the attitude of Sugnu Police, who sent away the victim to come back with money and a written complaint after consultating with an advocate.
The loathsome crime took place at Khongyam Makha Leikai under Sugnu police station in Thoubal in the night of August 29 .
The victim went to Sugnu police station on August 31 to register a complaint.
After hearing the victim's account of the nightmarish experience, the police personnel told the victim to come back with money in order to arrest the accused.
They also asked the traumatised woman to bring a written complaint after consultation with an advocate.
With no cooperation forthcoming from the law enforcing agency, the victimised woman, at last, submitted a written complaint to the DGP against the irresponsibility of Sugnu police as well as against the heinous crime, with the help of the Human Rights Law Network Manipur today.
Assistant Director of the Human Rights Law Network, Manipur Unit, Premlata said that a case would be filed, in case Sugnu police fail to register a case against the outrageous crime, even after a complaint has been submitted to the DGP.
Speaking to media persons at the Paona Bazar office of Human Rights Law Network today, the victim, Memcha (name changed) disclosed that she was called by her son-in-law Ningombam Tomba (40) s/o late N Ibotombi to his house at Kongkham Makha Leikai.
After Tomba raped Memcha, he put her locked inside a room.
Memcha said that her daughter has been enduring severe harassments and atrocities at the hand of her son-in-law for the last many years.
For her efforts to get her daughter divorced from Tomba, there have been several instances when she was threatened and bashed up by Tomba.
Unable to bear the atrocities any longer, Memcha's daughter left her husband together with their three children for a destitute home located in Imphal East district on August 24 .
Demanding that she send her daughter back, Tomba came to call Memcha in the evening of August 29 on the pretext of discussing the matter .
Unaware of the devilish design of Tomba her son-in-law, Memcha went to Tomba's home.
Once she reached there, she was locked inside a room where Tomba raped her twice.
She was also threatened that she would be killed in case she disclosed the incident to anybody.
Gripped with fear, Memcha promised not to disclose the incident to anybody.
She was forced to lie down on a bed where Tomba joined.
There, Memcha was again molested.
She stayed awake the whole night.
The next morning Tomba left behind Memcha after locking the room from outside.
Incidentally, Tomba's elder sister visited the house in the evening of August 30.Taking advantage of the situation, Memcha escaped from her captor.
On the same day, Memcha went to a health centre located at Kakching Khunou.
But instead of attending to her problems, Memcha was advised to go to Imphal.
On the next day (August 31), Memcha went to Sugnu police station to register a complaint but she was bluntly brushed aside.