TURA: The Liberation of A’chik Elite Freedom (LAEF) has expressed support to the 5 women activists recently arrested by police in connection with the illegal confinement and torture of 12 girls alleging them to be involved in a major sex racket in Tura.
In a statement issued here on Wednesday the self styled Commander-in-Chief of the LAEF, Riksrang G Momin said that it was surprising that there was no support from the NGOs of the region for what it termed the good work being done by the women activists.
“The LAEF has carried out a thorough investigation into the case and found that the truth is far from what was divulged earlier,” he said and claimed that the activists were working in collaboration with the deputy Commissioner and under his orders.
The militant outfit revealed the names of several sex offenders and their clients who were caught by the women activists in detail. It alleged that the men involved were taken by the police while the women were handed over to the activists.
According to the LAEF the same women had been caught by the Mothers’ Union a year earlier for their involvement in sex trade and were handed over to the Araimile Police Beat House in Tura.
It claimed that the women activists after receiving complaints from the public had on 4th May sought permission from the DC to conduct a raid on the Orchid Lodge at Asanang which was granted by the official and a vehicle also provided for the same. Based on complaints a raid had also been conducted at Allotgre and Sampalgre localities of Tura. The LAEF also maintained that revelations had been made by some of the girls upon interrogation that some of them had been taken by a women to their clients in different hotels in return for payment in cash.
With regard to the illegal detention of the 12 girls the militant outfit claimed that the girls were to be released and sent back home on Sunday the 11th May.
However, before they could be released a mob had attacked the rented home of Jaynie Ningring N Sangma on 8th May who forcibly took away the girls and handed them over to the Tura Police Station the next day after which the women activists were arrested.
The militant leader also pointed out that there had been regular visits by Reverends, Pastors, Child Protection Officers and media persons to the house of Jaynie Ningring and questioned how the activists could be charged with kidnapping, torture, assault and other offences.
“If the deputy Commissioner and the police felt that their activities were illegal why did they work hand in hand with the activists,” the militant chief, Riksrang G Momin questioned and wondered why the NGOs of the region were not interested to get to the bottom of things.
Meanwhile, asserting that it was committed in its work for the A’chik People the militant leader appealed for cooperation from all the NGOs of the region to work for the welfare of the Garos.