SHILLONG: The Tura rape case involving minors (both victim and accused) has taken a new turn with police investigation revealing that prior to the filing of the FIR, both the families had agreed on a compromise on the matter, following which the family of the accused paid Rs 20,000 to the victim’s family.
West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi made the disclosure on Saturday, while adding that the case has turned murkier with allegations and counter-allegations being leveled by both the families.
“The incident of rape of a two-and-half-year-old minor by a 15-year-old boy which took place recently has turned out to be more complicated than we had thought,” Bakshi said, adding that in the last few days, it was found out that the victim’s father had even demanded Rs 10 lakh from the family of the accused as compensation, and finally settling for a sum of Rs 20,000 which was paid by the grandfather of the accused.
“This explains why the case was filed a week after the incident happened,” Bakshi said.
He informed that the district police are presently recording the statements of all people involved in the case.
Bakshi also informed that during the course of the investigation, it was found that the victim’s father, who had been arrested earlier for his alleged involvement with the GNLA, was reportedly intimidating the family of the accused in the name of the GNLA.
The Deputy Commissioner pointed out that both parties are resorting to criminal intimidation and even the local development committee has also entered the scene.
Bakshi informed that due to the complicated nature of the case, additional time has been allotted to the District Child Protection Officer to file her report.
It may be mentioned that the boy who was arrested and forwarded to the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday was released on bail the next day due to lack of concrete evidence to prove that the boy had committed the crime. The Juvenile Justice Board perused the medical reports of the victim before granting bail to the accused.