Manipur: The grave peril of rising sexual offense to Minors
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Manipur: The grave peril of rising sexual offense to Minors
Child sexual offenses have become a serious and widespread problem in Manipur. Over 150 cases have been registered under Protection From children sexual Offences (POCSO) till last year, according to the social welfare report. Last year also shows a massive rise in POCSO cases. Probably such crime has been rampant since time immemorial, but reporting of such heinous crimes has just started over the last few years, that too amounting to the nature of offenses.
Recounting a few POCSO cases of 2022:
A 16-year-old girl went out to buy a pen around 6.10 pm on 17th December nearby her residence at Khongampat Awang Leikai. Rohit who hails from Sekmai, and his two other friends kidnapped her in a white car. The girl was reportedly raped in the moving car by Rohit and one of his friends in turn on the back seat. They ferried the minor girl to different places and later dropped her at Khongampat Thoudam Leikai near Panchayat Office. A case was registered and the Special Judge (POCSO) A. Guneshwar Sharma, on Thursday, remanded the three accused in the gang rape case of a 16-year-old girl into judicial custody for eight days from 22nd December 2022 to 29th December 2022.
The accused persons Soram Kennedy (31 years), son of Soram Chinglen Sing of Mayang Langjing Taning Awang Leikai, Chonjongbam Ranjan Singh (25 years), son of Ch. Rajen Singh of Phumlou Siphai Maning Leikai, and Chonjongbam Sanathoi Singh (24 years), son of Ch. Bihari Singh of Phumlou Siphai Maning Leikai was arrested on 18th December after the parents filed a complaint at Women Police Station, Imphal West.
The accused persons have been charged for the offenses punishable u/s 366-A/506/34 IPC & 6 POCSO Act, 2012 added sec. 120-B IPC.
In another horrendous sexual offense, a minor four (4) years old was sexually assaulted while she was watching videos on a mobile phone with the accused on the latter’s bed. The accused Ahongshabam Naoba 40-year-old committed a sexual offense in a Khola room at Sagei Checkon in Thoubungkhok on 16th December around 5.30 pm. The unfortunate occurrence came to light when the little girl complained of pain in her private part. Special Judge (POCSO) A. Guneshwar Sharma, on Thursday, remanded Ahongshangbam Naoba Singh (40 years) into judicial custody for eight days from 22nd December 2022 to 29th December 2022 for sexually assaulting a four-year-old girl.
The accused Ahongshangbam Naoba Singh, son of A. Khelendro Singh of Khongjom Khebaching, Thoubal was arrested from the Sagei Checkon, Toubungkhok Makha Leikai on 17th December 2022 after the father of the victim complained to Women Police Station, Imphal West. He was under police custody till 22nd December 2022.
The accused persons have been charged with offenses punishable under the 6 POCSO Act, 2012.
Horrendous rape cases in Manipur show that Minors are repeatedly targeted mostly by family members, neighbors, or family friends. In another heart-wrenching incident on August 3rd of this year, a 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped multiple times by her father for the past six years. She later died after she succumbed to injuries after a suicide attempt. The victim consumed poison and suffered multiple organ failures which led to her death.
The father of the victim had raped her multiple times over the last six years since 2016. She then attempted to commit suicide by consuming poisons as she was unable to endure the trauma. She stayed at home for three days without any treatment after which she was first hospitalized at JNIMS hospital, which resulted in multiple organ failures, and later succumbed to injuries on August 3rd.
Adding to all the horrifying incidents of rape; a minor seven-year-old girl was raped by her neighbor 2/3 months back at Samaram Maning Leikai of Khongjom Police Station. The minor girl was watching TV along with a friend of hers in the house of accused Asem Konungjao. The alleged accused took advantage of the situation to manipulate and raped the minor girl and also threatened her not to tell anyone using a sword. The incident came to light when the minor girl while playing spokes a few suspicious words and the family further enquired about the happening.
When the incident came to light on December 17th, a Maruti 800, and household items of alleged Rapist Asem Konungjao (41) S/O (Late) Tomba were set ablaze by an outraged mob. The accused has been charged under the POCSO act 2012 for further investigation.
According to a study by Min WCD, the government of India, Prayas, and UNICEF, 2007, among 12,447 children in 13 states, 2 in 3 were physically abused, 88 percent by parents, 65 percent by teachers, 66 percent were emotionally abused, 53 percent sexually abused (47 percent girls and 53 percent boys) and 21 percent of all respondents reported severe sexual abuse. 50 percent of abusers were known to the child or in a position of trust or authority. But most children did not report the abuse.
Manipur's social welfare minister Heikham Dingo Singh also said that the number of cases pertaining to child sexual abuse has increased over the last years on August 23rd in a function. He also said that Manipur top the child sexual abuse cases in the country which is very 'unfortunate'. The minister reportedly said that a mass awareness program regarding the POCSO Act will be organized in all districts.
Awareness is a must starting from the family level to the district level. However, how stringent is the POCSO act itself if the accused got convicted- but the trauma and pain the survivors will face are incurable. So, mass awareness to safeguard the future of our children in terms of emotional and psychological security should be the foremost task of the concerned departments and all the social activists and Meira Paibis of our state.
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