By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Social Welfare Minister Deborah C Marak on Monday sought the report on the rape of an 18-year old girl by Assam dacoits in the wee hours of Sunday at Garobadha in West Garo Hills.
Speaking to reporters here on Monday, Marak said, “We had a meeting with the officials and action will be taken after getting the report.”
West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi informed that the administration is monitoring the situation and have increased police presence in the affected border areas and introduced night vigil.
“Special police force is ready to ambush the dacoits or other criminal elements,” Bakshi said, adding that they are contemplating to form VDPs in the affected villages.
Over a dozen criminals from neighbouring Assam had entered the plain belt region of West Garo Hills and committed dacoity and also raped the teenage girl inside a village under Garobadha police outpost.
Meanwhile, the North East Network condemned the rape of the 18-year-old girl and expressed shock that despite the evidence of increasing sexual assault on women, the State Government has not been able to bring about stringent enforcement of the law.
NEN also stated that the law needs to be more effective and stringent punishments for the perpetrators. “We all need to come together and raise our voice against such heinous crimes which is a violation of Human Rights, especially the Rights of women and girls,” the NEN said in its statement.
More atrocities by Assam dacoits reported
More atrocities by Assam dacoits have come to the fore with a delayed report on the assault of a chowkidar of Power Minister Clement Marak.
According to sources, the chowkidar identified as Lala Sangma (35) was assaulted by suspected Assam dacoits at his residence at Boldamgre, West Garo Hills.
It was on May 1 at around 12.30 am that the unidentified armed miscreants numbering 20 assaulted Sangma and three others at Boldamgre and also robbed Rs 300 and a cell phone from Sangma. As a result, the victim sustained injuries.
On the same day, at about 1.15 am, the same group of miscreants robbed Rs 8 lakh, gold ornaments and cell phones from one Amal Saha and others at Boldamgre.
Sources said that Sangma was beaten up badly by some miscreants while he was on duty and left him after committing the crime. Sangma was later shifted to a hospital for medical treatment. His condition at present is stable, sources added.
Expressing vagueness on the people who committed the crime, sources said, “We cannot say that the same dacoits from the neighbouring state were the ones who assaulted Sangma. It could be some local youths in an inebriated condition who happened to pass by while Sangma was on duty.”