SHILLONG: While the nation is still in the grip of shock and grief over the rape and murder of Asifa in Kashmir, a similar incident still haunts at least the mother and family of the victim in the city, if not others, for almost 16 years.
Shakuntala Biswa, the mother of Monika Biswakarma, who was raped and murdered in 2002, wants the police to re-open the case as justice is still a far cry.
Shakuntala said her youngest daughter Monika was seven years old when she was raped and murdered at Mahdev Khola, Upper Shillong on August 16, 2002.
The family was staying in a rented place on the temple premises.
Initial reports were that she was allegedly raped and murdered by six home guard personnel, but they were released by the police by stating that there was no evidence.
However, the mother said there were allegations that the accused were left out of the probe by the police in an attempt to protect them.
The mother, who was running a shop, could not stay any longer on the Mahdev Khola premises after the incident and she is currently residing in a nearby area.
Had her daughter been alive, she would have been 23 years old, recalls the mother, who longs for justice for her daughter.
The mother wants extreme punishment to be meted out to those who committed the heinous crime. Though the state government had in the past recommended handing over the case to the CBI, it ended only giving false hope to the family, especially the mother.
The mother recalls that the matter was taken up by the National Women’s Commission but nothing happened later.
“We have written to so many persons concerned, but in vain,” she said.
According to the mother, the government did not give any compensation to the family. When brought to the notice of the Victims’ Compensation Scheme, she said unless it is properly disseminated, “how the poor people will come to know about it”.
She wanted those who are at the helm of affairs with the scheme to do some groundwork to meet the affected victims’ families.
