Friday, July 11, 2025
spot_img

Rape of minors on the rise in EK Hills

Date:

Share post:

spot_imgspot_img

41 rape cases registered in 2 yrs

By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: Meghalaya may be famed throughout the world for practicing the matrilineal system, but women in the State are a harassed lot, if official records are anything to go by.

As per official statistics altogether 41 minor girls up to the age of 17 have been raped in East Khasi Hills district over the past two years. Out of the 41 registered cases of rape, 25 minor girls were reported to have been raped in 2010 in East Khasi Hills district while 16 rape cases have been reported from the district till date this year.

Among all the cases of rape reported in the district in 2010, the most heinous one was the rape of a one-year-old minor.

What is even more alarming is the fact that on most of the occasions the rape is perpetrated by a close relative or in-house member of the victim’s family.

The latest example of the rape perpetrated by an in-house member of the victim’s family was the alleged rape of a nine-year-old girl by her own stepfather Augustine Umdor, 55, who allegedly raped his stepdaughter on August 17 and 20.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Vivek Syiem, a minimum punishment for a rape accused is seven years while adding that the police was giving foremost preference to the rape cases in the city.

Claiming that access to pornography is one of the major reasons for the rise in rape cases in the district, the senior police official added that police were continuously carrying out raids in different parts of the city to seize pornography materials like CDs etc.

One of the other reasons for the rise in rape cases in the city is alcohol consumption as many of the rapes are committed under the influence of liquor, the police official added.

“We ensure that we are tight in our investigation into the rape cases and we always try to build strong evidences against the accused,” he added while speaking to reporters here on the issue which has been making headlines over the past few years.

Syiem, meanwhile, lauded the efforts of the rape victims and their family members for approaching law enforcing agencies to report rape cases even if the accused was one of their own family members.

spot_imgspot_img

Related articles

22 Maoists, including eight females, surrender in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, July 11: In a significant development in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, 22 Maoists laid down their arms on...

BJP looting land, forest, water: Rahul Gandhi at ‘save Constitution’ rally in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, July 11: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted the BJP, alleging that the ruling party has...

Centre plans Rs 1,345 crore subsidy scheme to boost production of Rare Earth magnets

New Delhi, July 11: The Indian government has drawn up a scheme to offer subsidies to the tune...

We missed no targets in Pak, not even a glass pane broken in India: NSA Doval on Op Sindoor

New Delhi, July 11: National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday addressed the convocation ceremony at IIT...