Teenager raped near Tura, five held

TURA: As the country simmers in anger over the gruesome gang-rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Jammu and Kashmir and the rape of a 16-year-old girl by an MLA in Uttar Pradesh, Meghalaya is grappling with the problem of rising crime against women and minors with another incident coming to light in Garo Hills.
A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by a group of five, including a juvenile, on the Tura-Garobadha Road on Wednesday evening.
All the five accused were apprehended thanks to the alert mother of the victim who rushed with her relatives to the area and intercepted the vehicle and the occupants.
The young girl, who was apparently known to one or more of the accused, had boarded the vehicle (ML10 A 0663) unaware of the intention of the five men.
The men drove along the Tura-Damalgre-Garobadha Road and committed the crime.
Meanwhile, the mother got information about the girl being spotted in a car and she rushed to the place with her relatives.
They intercepted the vehicle on the Garobadha road and apprehended the men 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 accused 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’.