Assam: Army officer, wife arrested in child abuse case; outrage in Haflong

A minor girl from Haflong, Dima Hasao, who had been taken to Palampur, Himachal Pradesh to work as house help, was subjected to brutal torture by the couple who had taken her under their care. The local police were alerted to this horrifying situation on September 24, 2023.

Responding to the report, the Dima Hasao Police swiftly took action, registering a case under Haflong PS Case No.74/2023. The case was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including U/S 326 (Voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 374 (Unlawful compulsory labor), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (Criminal intimidation), 370 (Buying or disposing of any person as a slave), and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Additionally, charges were brought under section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and section 3 of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

During the course of the investigation, prima facie evidence was uncovered, implicating the couple responsible for the horrific mistreatment of the minor girl. Notably, the individuals in question include an Indian Army Major and his wife. The Army officer have been identified as Major Shailendra Yadav and and his wife Kimmy Ralson.

During his tenure in Haflong, he had wedded Kimmy Ralson, a Haflong town resident. Following Major Shailendra Yadav's transfer from Haflong to Himachal Pradesh, Kimi Ralson took a young girl from Sankijang village to assist with household chores.

However, the situation took a grim turn when reports surfaced that Kimmy Ralson had subjected the child to severe abuse. Allegations include instances of physical torture, scalding the child with hot water, and forcibly removing her clothing. The child was recently returned to her family in Haflong after enduring these experiences.

Major Shailendra Yadav and Kimmy Ralson were presented before the additional court of the Haflong judicial magistrate, which ordered their judicial custody.

The victim's mother, while demanding justice for her daughter's ordeal, decried the inhumane treatment inflicted by the Army major and his wife. The young girl is currently receiving medical care at the Haflong Civil Hospital.