SHILLONG: Crime against women by the men in uniform on the rise in the State, the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) has revealed.
“In the past few years, crimes against women by the men in uniform have tremendously increased thereby making it difficult for the public to trust them,” MSCW Chairperson, SK Marak told reporters on Friday.
According to a survey conducted for the past three years, there are 34 such cases related with the Central forces of which three were rape cases and the rest include — physical and mental torture, cheating, physical harassment, domestic violence etc.
The Commission questioned the reliability of the men in uniform saying, “Those who are bound to protect the country from such crime are themselves committing it.”
Marak even alleged that such criminals often get protection from their respective forces.
The Commission also alleged that the Army and para-military personnel and also the State policemen do not pay the due respect to women.
“We sent a letter to the Army authorities explaining the conduct of their personnel towards their wives and asked them to appear before the Commission,” Marak said, adding, “The response of the Army was inappropriate.”
“When the culprit from the Central forces are summoned to the Commission, they come with a very displeasing attitude, they are rude and impolite and worse of all they disagree to comply with the terms of the Commission,” she lamented.
The Commission has referred a few such cases to the National Commission for Women but most of the cases are yet to be settled. The MSCW already sought an amendment to the Meghalaya State Commission for Women Act 2005 seeking enough power to pass order and enforce it in such cases, but to no avail.
Child rape cases highest: The State has recorded the highest number of child rape cases in the North-East besides an overall rise in crimes against women, MSCW Chairperson SK Marak has revealed.
According to the data prepared by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs for three years — 2008, 2009 and 2010 — the State has recorded 34 such cases seconded by Assam with 27 cases.
The MSCW received 225 cases from 2010 till February 2011 including the highest 90 cases of dissertation and maintenance of which 75 were settled besides the 34 rape cases.
The other cases include — 11 harassment cases of which seven were settled, murder cases, 24 cases of domestic violence of which seven were solved, one forwarded to Assam Women’s Commission, two advised to go to the court and 14 referred to Protection officer of DSWO.
There were six cases of physical assault, nine cases of attempt to rape and 32 cases of general complaints.
Moreover, there are four cases of molestation, two cases of ostracisation of which one was settled and one case of sexual harassment besides one case of an attack on two girls in New Delhi which was forwarded to National Commission for Women, New Delhi.
However, the Commission has cited funds shortage to conduct its various programmes and to pay the salary of the present eight employees. The Commission also said with such skeleton staff it becomes difficult to punish the culprit who denies to comply with the rules and regulations of the Commission.