SHILLONG: Days after the shocking assault of a girl in public in the city, several organisations came together on Friday to show their solidarity with the victim besides slamming the cowardly act.
A public meeting was held on Friday to condemn the brutal assault of one Angelbeth Lyngdoh Nongpiur who was manhandled in public even as mobile clips of the act was recorded and circulated.
Besides the family members of the victim, the public meeting was attended by members of Thma U Rangli-Juki (TUR), Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei, CSWO, Seng Kynthei Laban-Lumparing, North East Network, Meghalaya State Network of Positive People, Samkami, WISE, Bethany Society and others.
The meeting, besides expressing solidarity with the safety and freedom of the sexually marginalized and oppressed in the state, also slammed police action in arresting the victim instead of reprimanding those involved in her public assault.
Observing that the victim was allegedly arrested on false charges, the meeting felt that the police’s job is to protect individuals from moral policing and voyeurs.
“The police, in this case, have defended the violators of human rights,” one of those present in the meeting said.
The meeting also urged police to invoke the recent criminal law amendment act to book the culprits involved in the assault and circulation of the video clip.
The participants were also dismayed at the one sided insensitive and prurient reporting of this incident in a section of the media and urged pressmen to be sensitive towards marginalized and prosecuted groups like the LGBT community.
Several organizations also decided to fight to free Angelbeth from her “unjust arrest” besides bringing her assaulters to book.
Meanwhile, the Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei (LKSK) in a separate statement strongly condemned the brutal attack on Angelbeth and urged the keepers of law to take strict action against the perpetrators of the crime. It also reported the matter to the Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW).
