By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The trial of all the 16 accused in the Williamnagar rape case began on Tuesday last.
The East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Vijay Mantri said on Saturday that the case which was initially taken up by the sessions court, was subsequently handed over to the court of additional district magistrate.
It was on December 13 last that the 18 year old girl was gang raped by 16 boys mostly juveniles who were returning after the Williamanagar winter festival.
According to Mantri, the district administration wanted to speed up the case due to its serious nature.
Though Williamnagar does not have a fast track court, Mantri said that efforts will be made to pursue the trial to its logical conclusion.
He said that the district administration hopes to complete the trial at the earliest. Out of the sixteen accused in the rape incident, eight are juveniles.
Last week, a delegation comprising representatives of Lympung Ki Seng Kynthei, CSWO, the freedom project, Council of Catholic Women,, North East Network and concerned individuals submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister, Dr. Mukul Sangma, DGP Kulbir Krishan, Principal Secretary, Home, K. S. Kropha on the need to check various sexual crimes against women and minors.
The suggestions of the NGOs included the steps to be taken to make Meghalaya safer for women and children.
They wanted the Government to immediately set up a womens’ police force specifically dedicated and trained to tackle crimes against women and children.
According to the NGOs, every police station needs to have dedicated cells to tackle crimes against women and children staffed by women police personnel and this needs to be made known to the public so that a woman in distress can immediately identify where she needs to go.
The NGOs also urged the Government to set up a Directorate of Prosecution focusing specifically on crimes against women having legal counsels specially trained on women related laws including criminal law and procedures pertaining to rape and other crimes against women and children.
The NGOs felt that cases of crime against women should not be referred to District Council Courts, but instead should be handed over only to sessions court with appeal provision to High Court in order to avoid delays and derailment of justice.
