By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Women organisations of the State have expressed disappointment and questioned the role of police on the escape of a rape accused Nurul Islam, police officer in charge of the Ampati police station besides demanding stringent action against the escapee and the others helping the escape.
Alleged for raping two minor sisters on two occasions, Islam was suspended and arrested on Saturday. Ironically, he was kept at the police reserve instead of the police station.
Condemning the irresponsibility of the police in handling a rape case of this magnitude, chairperson of Meghalaya State Women Commission (MSWC) Theilin Phanbuh, suspected foul play in the escape of the accused and demanded action against the person involved in helping the accused escape.
“This is a serious matter and should have been dealt seriously by the police and the accused should have been put in the locked up instead of the police reserve” she said adding that this incident leaves a negative impact on the role of the police, who are supposed to be the protectors and law-abiding citizens.
Phanbuh also informed that after the commission receives a detail report on the mater from its members in Garo Hills, they will write a letter to the Superintendent of police, South West Garo Hills, R Muthu demanding an enquiry into the whole episode. The SWGH deputy commissioner R Singh has directed a magisterial inquiry into the lapses which led to the escape of the accused and the additional district magistrate M P Sangma has been given one week’s time to compile and submit a detailed report of the whole incident.
Meanwhile, while condemning the act perpetrated by the OC Ampati, the CSWO stated that the police officer abused his powers and brought in minors into the Police Station and raped them.
“Even though he has raped minors, this OC was not booked under the POSCO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, 2012, by the DSP Bijoy Chettri, and neither was he booked under sec 506 IPC for threatening”, CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing observed.
She further alleged that DSP Bijoy Chettri was trying to help the accused, in such a heinous crime and sending the accused with a junior police officer attached to the Police Station at Ampati, indicated that the DSP had ulterior motives where the IO (Investigating Officer) was not sent for the interrogation.
The CSWO has stated that they will file an FIR against this erring DSP.