Fact Finding Team Met Victims of Two North East Sexual Assault in Gurgaon
A combined fact finding team from the North East Support Centre & Helpline, Vaiphei Welfare Association, Delhi; Young Paitei Association – Joint Delhi Cell met two tribal girls from Manipur.
The girls’ landlord and his companion demanded sexual favors from the girls and beat them with a stick to yield to their demands in the early morning at Sikanderpur, DLF Phase I, Gurgaon, Haryana. The victims suffered bruises on their backs, legs, hands, faces. The Police refused to file a First Information Report under relevant sections of the penal code pertaining to molestation and sexual assault and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Honorable Member of Parliament Dr. Th. Meinya Singh visited the victims to offer financial help and assured them he would take up the matter in the North East MP Forum.
The victims told the fact finding team, “Our landlord along with a man in a drunken state, came at wee hour around 2 AM on December 13, 2008 demanded us to open the door. When we refused to open the door they broke the door and intruded into our room and demanded sexual favor from us. When we refused their demand, we were beaten with stick and repeatedly demand us to yield to their sexual demand.”]
Both the victims tried to call up Police Helpline 100 three times and did not get any response. Later one of the victims managed to run away with a friend from Manipur who came to help them. Other victim was locked in another room and repeatedly demanded sex by both the accused.
After some time the victim who managed to run away came back with her friend who came to help them to find out what happened to her friend who was locked by landlord and his companion. “As soon as my landlord and his companion saw me, they grappled hold of me and put into the room where my friend was already locked up. I was severely beaten and demanded sex from me as well. When we both refused to their demand, we were beaten with stick on our backs, hands, legs and face,” says the victim.
The victims lastly managed to get Police helpline and police came to the spot after one hour. “We were pushed inside the room and did not allow to seek help from police,” the victims said.
The fact finding team was astonished to hear about the response of police from the victims. Instead of helping the victims, police sided with the culprits. Police took them to the local Sri Ram Hospital and both victims were asked to deposit Rs 2000 each. One of the victims was not admitted because she did not have the amount and no medical attention was given.
The girls said, “Police manipulated our statement…” The police told them not to mention anything about the molestation, the fact that the police helpline did not respond and their demand to book the culprits under the relevant section of the penal code and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Police deleted some complaints, the victims said.
The Police officer on Duty registered under FIR No. 196 of 2008 dated 13.12.2008 Police Station DLF, District Gurgaon, Haryana u/s 323, 452, 506 and 34 of IPC by tempering the statement given by the victims and did not mention the relevant penal code pertaining to molestation, sexual assault and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The North East Support Centre & Helpline, Vaiphei Welfare Association Delhi and Young Paitei Association Joint Delhi Cell demands the culprits and others involved in the crime, must be booked under the relevant section of the penal code pertaining to molestation, beating women, intruding into the room, life threats, and attempted rape and under SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The police officer on duty, who tempered the statement of victims and failed to do his duty, must be booked under the Supreme Court’s Judgment on Police Officer’s neglecting duty, the group said.
Both the National Commission for Women and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes have been approached to look into this matter and take appropriate action related to this crime.
North East Support Centre & Helpline (www.nehelpline.net) is a combined initiative of various human rights activists, social workers, students, journalists and lawyers seeking to prevent harassment and abuses meted out to women, North East People and tribal communities of different states.
Information for this report was provided by Mr. Madhu Chandra
