TURA: Even as the country simmers in anger over the gruesome gang-rape and murder of an eight-year -old child belonging to a minority nomadic community by a group of men, including a policeman, in Jammu and Kashmir and another rape of a woman by an MLA in Utter Pradesh, back home in Meghalaya another sexual assault has taken place in Garo Hills.
A fifteen-year-old girl was allegedly raped by five persons, including a juvenile, on the Tura- Garobadha road on Wednesday evening.
All five accused were apprehended thanks to the alert mother of the victim who rushed with her relatives to the area and intercepted the vehicle with the occupants.
The young girl, who was apparently known to one or more of the accused, had boarded the vehicle (ML-10 A 0663) unaware of the intentions of the five men.
The men drove along the Tura-Damalgre-Garobadha road and committed the crime.
In the meantime, a worried mother of the missing girl on getting a tip off about her daughter being spotted in a moving car travelling along the route rushed to the area with her relatives. They intercepted the vehicle on the Garobadha road and apprehended all five who were brought to the Tura police station along with the victim who narrated her ordeal.
Apart from the 16-year-old juvenile who hails from Chondonpara village in South West Garo Hills district, the other accused in custody have been identified as Sergius R Marak (18) of Chondonpara, Tengswan A Marak (25) of Malchapara village in Betasing, Grikjrang B Marak (25) a resident of Araimile near St. Mary’s School Tura, and Tengson R Marak (18) of Chondonpara.
The 16-year-old has been remanded to a juvenile home and will be tried under the Juvenile justice Board while the remaining four have been placed under arrest and will be tried under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
Of late, there has been growing number of cases of young girls falling victims to sexual crimes after being lured by friends and people known to them for a ‘joy ride’.