Meghalaya: Minor raped, three others assaulted in South West Garo Hills

Four minors, of which two were girls were physically assaulted at Gandhipara village near Garobadha in South West Garo Hills district on April 16. The incident was reported on April 18 following which investigation was initiated to nab the culprits.

Amongst the four, while one girl was brutally raped by a group of men on April 16 in the midst of the annual Chenga Benga Mela, another girl was physically assaulted. The other two minors, both boys, were also beaten and harassed. 

Speaking to India Today NE, Vikash Kumar, the Superintendent of Police (SP) for South West Garo Hills (SWGH), Ampati, dismissed reports suggesting a communal angle to the incident and added that the incident which had unfolded on April 16 was reported to the police two days later, on April 18. He informed that the accused have not been identified, despite the First Information Report (FIR) stating the involvement of 10-15 Muslim men. 

Kumar informed that the four victims had been wrongfully confined at a location approximately 250 meters from the Chenga Benga Mela venue. He further stated that medical reports and statements from the victims confirmed they were tied and mentally tortured, with one subjected to rape. However, Kumar also mentioned that some evidence was lost, possibly due to the victims bathing or washing their clothes.

The SP of SWGH added that the victims were not abducted, as they had gone to the area themselves in two groups. Initially, a boy and a girl went to the location and were confined. After some time, the other duo went to the same place and were also wrongfully confined. He said, "As per the medical report and statement received from the first girl who was confined, she was physically harassed and abused. However, the medical report and statement of the second girl stated that she was gang-raped. The girl was under a lot of trauma, pain, and anxiety, following which our team contacted the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and ensured she was given proper treatment and counselling." 

Informing that the case has been registered under Ampati PS, SWGH, Kumar also said, “The case is under investigation, and my team will probe the matter carefully so that justice is served. Our report has to befit the case rather than sensationalise it because the victims deserve justice.” 

When asked about a viral social media post on X by a user of Legal Rights Observatory, which mentions rape and abduction of Hindu minors by 25 jihadis, the SP said, “I cannot term the post as false, neither can I call it true as the probe is still underway. Although some of it may be true, the final report citing actual incidents will only come to light after arrests have been made and the investigation completed.”