Pregnt woman raped by Army? Inquiry ordered

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, August 11: An alleged rape of a woman who is at an advanced stage of pregncy, allegedly by two army jawans, on the night of August 9 rocked the Assam Assembly today when the issue was raised by  BPF MLA Pramilarani Brahma.

Brahma told the House that two Army jawans from the Moiguri Army camp went to the Kachugaon house of the woman on the pretext of searching her husband, who, they suspect, is an NDFB rebel. “The two jawans didn’t get her husband. They took the woman, who is eight-month pregnt, from the house to a nearby LP School at midnight and raped her. A case (68/15) has already been registered at Kachugaon police station yesterday.”

“This is a heinous crime. How come we sit idle when an eight-month pregnt woman is raped by Army jawans? The culprits should be arrested immediately, and the victim should be given free treatment and compensation,” the MLA said.

On behalf of Home Minister Tarun Gogoi, minister Rakibul Hussain said: “Yes. A case in this regard was registered at Kachugaon police station yesterday. Around 11-30 am, a woman came to Kachugaon police station under Gossaigaon subdivision yesterday and filed an FIR stating that she was raped by two Army jawans on the night of August 9. The statement of the woman has been taken, and her health has also been examined. The report is awaited. We have already ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident. We have asked Kokrajhar DC to send the report within a week.” Brahma then asked the minister about compensation to the woman. Rakibul told her that he would have a discussion on the matter with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and act accordingly.