CSWO alleges rape of 50-year-old woman

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Dec 4: The Civil Society Women Organization today said a woman aged about 50 years from the East Jaintia Hills was raped by one Joshua Rymbai (30 years) from Umkiang on December 1. According to the CSWO, the victim was allegedly raped when she was returning from her daily work from Sopur in his car. This woman goes to work daily to Sopur area and returns in the evening to her place.

According to the women’s organization, on that day, she was supposed to go home by a passenger vehicle but in the meantime at around 7 pm the alleged rapist, who was known to the victim and used to call her aunty, offered her to drop her home. The woman got into the vehicle since she knew Joshua Rymbai who was in the vehicle with another person from Sopur, who was driving the car.

The CSWO said it was only when they reached near the area where there was a Mandir, Rymbai covered her face with a cloth and raped her inside the car. The driver who was with the alleged rapist told her to keep quiet or he will too rape her. On December 3, she filed an FIR with the Umkiang Police. However, the CSWO alleged that the police failed to act upon the FIR.

“They made no attempt to arrest the culprits and they did not also take her for medical examition as is required as per law and the police told her that he would send her for medical only on Monday as there was no proper place for examition nearby,” CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said. While condemning the rape, the CSWO demanded the immediate arrest of the perpetrator and the driver and anyone interfering in the case.