SHILLONG: Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh, who has refused to take moral responsibility for the flesh trade at Marvelene’s Inn owned by his family, on Tuesday announced a slew of measures to tackle the spate of crime against women.
The minister, while replying to a special motion moved by UDP’s Paul Lyngdoh on crime against women and children, said the government would launch a helpline for women.
The director of Social Welfare will install the helpline soon.
He said fast track courts have been revived for disposal of pending sexual harassment cases and that the forensic laboratory building would be inaugurated this year.
The government has already procured equipment for DNA analysis and forensic scientists have been sent for training outside the state in DNA sample collection and analysis.
Talking about the anti-human trafficking units that the government promised, HDR said three units have been set up in Shillong, Tura and Jowai with central funds.
The Department has moved a proposal to the government for the creation of anti-human trafficking units in all the 11 districts besides standard operating procedures on investigating of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation have been distributed to all districts to improve quality of investigation of the victims of human trafficking, the minister said.
He pointed out that all-woman police stations have been created in seven districts and the government is considering similar moves in four new districts. All district SPs have been requested to enquire about job placement agencies, number of persons whom jobs were provided, details of job provided and address of agencies.
“A research study is being conducted by NEHU on ‘Crimes against Women and Children Socio Psychological Study’ to analyse the reasons of crimes committed against women and children and to study the present status of victimised women and children in selected case study from different districts of the state,” HDR said.
The Home minister added that in the cases of molestation and rape against children and women, a number of persons close to the family, friends and relatives are found to be involved and research also shows that violence against women and children are mostly perpetrated by neighbours, friends, known persons and even family members.
Giving out statistics, HDR said in 2012, police charge sheeted 93 cases followed by 198 in 2013, 139 in 2014, 78 in 2015 and 35 in 2016, besides people were also convicted in rape cases between 2012-2015.
Earlier, Paul Lyngdoh asked the government to address the issue with seriousness and reverse the existing trend. He also said many foreign countries have issued advisory to its citizens not to travel to Delhi and Bangalore and he does not want Shillong to face the same fate.
Dadenggre MLA James Sangma stressed on the need to address the concern at war footing and accused the government of not being serious on the issue.
“Meghalaya has very low rate conviction and until we put fear of law in the minds of people, nothing would come out,” he said.
