SHILLONG: A complaint has been lodged against West Khasi Hills Police for dereliction of duty in a case related to sexual assault of two minor girls.
An FIR in this regard has been lodged by TUR leader Angela Rangad and one Ribor Kharsynniang.
The FIR, which was filed with the Meghalaya DGP, stated that there was a case of sexual assault of two children in a village in West Khasi Hills on February 7. As per the FIR, the family of the victim told TUR that their 7-year-old daughter had been sexually assaulted by one Kynsaibor L. Nonglai.
The accused who admitted his crime to the victim’s family, however, said that he has not raped the child but touched it with sexual intent and committed other heinous actions.
The family of the minor contacted the Sordar of the village who was unavailable and the secretary of the village asked the family for an application in writing which the family was unable to provide.
Later a Sordar from another village came to their assistance and took the child to a Civil Hospital on the same day at about 10 pm where the doctor on duty examined the child, gave them a prescription and medicines and told them that the medical report will be forwarded to the police station and that the police will apprehend the perpetrator.
On the morning of February 8, the family along with the Sordar went to the concerned police station and there, the police personnel on duty allegedly told the family that the case needs to be filed immediately as it will not be possible later. Discussions followed and the family were told not to press any charges by the police and the locals.
The TUR alleged that the family, which was unaware of the legal processes, was forced to compromise, as they were afraid about potential expenses and time required to go back and forth to block. The family was told that the crime was not serious in nature.
“The family told us that the police even told them that whoever brings up this case again will be arrested instead,” the FIR stated.
Rangad and Kharsynniang also met parents of another 5-year-old girl who was similarly sexually abused by the same man on February 7.
The family admitted that their child was sodomised and they too similarly narrated that a compromise has been forged in front of the police, village members and others.
The FIR pointed out that the crime fairly falls within the POCSO Act which defines sexual assault not only as penetrative acts but includes other forms of sexual assault and abuse.
The FIR asked the DGP to register a case under Section 3- Penetrative sexual assault, and Section 7 of the POCSO Act.
The FIR took cognizance of the dereliction of duty on the part of the police personnel and their failure to register an FIR into the case.
“It is shocking that the police indulged in dereliction of duty and failed to register an FIR and instead oversaw a compromise for a non-compoundable and grave crime against two minors,” the FIR stated.
Action should be taken against them under Sec 166 A of the Criminal Law amendment act 2013 and Section 16 and Section 21 of the POCSO Act.
