Rape case : Cops under fire from Child rights activists
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 29 2011:
Police did not allow conduct of medical check up in time and declined to register an FIR in connection with the alleged rape of a 12year old girl, Ukhrul District Alliance for Child Rights has alleged.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Hotel Imphal today, Veronica, who is a member of Ukhrul District Alliance for Child Rights informed that a 12-year old girl, who lived along with her 70-year old grandmother, was alleged to have been raped by one Chanchui Luithui (41) of Langdang under Ukhrul district near Ukhrul Central Jail at around 8.30 pm on June 24, after taking her in his Bolero on the pretext of dropping her at home.
The girl had gone to get fodder for pigs from the house of her aunty.
But on her way back, Luithui, who was in an inebriated state, picked her up in his Bolero assuring to drop her at her place.
But he took her towards the road leading to Choithar and committed the crime near Ukhrul Central Jail.
When the Bolero went ahead of her house and did not stop to her get down, the girl had shouted for help.
Some of the people who heard the cry of the girl, traced the Bolero and managed to rescue the girl.
The culprit was also brought till Hundung where a mob lynched him.
Veronica said that though the mob violence was unfortunate, the conduct of the police in taking the young girl to Ukhrul district hosopital at around 11 pm and then bringing her back at around 2.30 am without informing the Child Welfare Committee, Ukhrul was regrettable.
On the same day of the incident, an uncle of the girl had gone to the police to register a case.
But the police sent him back home saying that it was too late and an FIR could be registered only the following day.
However, on the following day of June 25, the girl was taken into the custody of police for questioning from 7.30 am till 2.30 pm.
After that the girl was brought to Imphal for medical test, as there are no such facilities in Ukhrul.
Veronica asserted that police did not comply with any of the existing legal norms in questioning the young victim.
On arrival at Imphal too, the police did not admit the girl to a hospital.
Instead she was lodged with her family members and two other women police at Ching-Tam Hotel, North AOC Imphal.
The family members were also made to bear all expenses for the stay at the hotel.
Convenor of Manipur Alliance for Child Rights Keisham Pradipkumar, who was also present during the press conference, pointed out that medical check up on a victim related to rape should be conducted within 12 hours.
But the police did not allow medical check on the girl on the day she was brought to Imphal from Ukhrul.
It was only on the following day that the police took the girl to RIMS
for necessary tests.
It is said that the girl is presented undergoing treatment in the Psychiatric Department of RIMS.
Manipur State Commission for Women has taken up a case and its chairperson visited the girl in the hospital yesterday.
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