Arunachal: Prime accused in child molestation case surrenders before court in Papum Pare district

Former hostel warden Yumken Bagra, who is accused of molesting 21 children, surrendered before the court of Ms Jaweplu Chai, Special Judge: POCSO in Yupia of Papum Pare district, said an official order.

''Accused Yumken Bagra of POCSO Case No.02/2023 has surrendered before, this court after his bail granted dated 23.02.2023 was suo motu cancelled by Gauhati High Court vide Cri. Ptn (suo motu) No. 01/2023,'' the order read. 

As per the order, Bagra appeared personally in the court along with his counsel Karyom Dabi and later he was sent to judicial custody. 

''Accused is hereby taken into custody and remanded to judicial custody at Jully Jall for 14 days. The Jail Authority of Jully Jail shall produce the accused either physically or virtually after the expiry of his remand period,'' the order read further.

According to Superintendent of Police (SP), SIT, Rohit Rajbir Singh, Bagra is accused of sexually assaulting 21 children aged between 6 to 14 years. 

A few days back, the SP held a press conference at the Police headquarters in Itanagar over an eight-month-old sexual molestation case that took place in the Shiyomi district of Arunachal at the Government Residential School where he revealed the actual number of children who were molested by Bagra.  

''In November 2022 this case got registered in Monigaon of Shiyomi district regarding child sexual assault. Earlier the complaint was that two twin sisters got sexually assaulted by the hostel warden inside the hostel. Initially, the complaint was reported on 1 November 2022. One case got registered in Tato, the headquarters town of Shiyomi district where the initial investigation took place. Later, the case got transferred to Special Investigation Team (SIT) team headed by Deputy SP Moyir Basar Kamdak,'' the SP said during the press conference. 

Singh also said that the accused was the hostel warden of a school in Monigaon. He was working there from 2014 to 2022 as a warden, there could be more victims of his assault but now after a thorough investigation by two sisters, who lodged complaints, 21 victims came forward aged between 6 to 14 years both male and female. 

However, after taking cognizance of the same, the Gauhati High Court rejected the bail plea of Bagra.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh Women’s Welfare Society has welcomed the Gauhati High Court's intervention which has forced Bagra to surrender. 

''People like Bagra have no place in civil society. He will always be a threat to society. We also applaud the SIT for the thorough probe. Our hearts have been heavy thinking about the children who were sexually, mentally, and physically assaulted by their own warden,'' said Kani Nada Maling, president, of APWWS.

He further said that the journey to recovery will be long but tonight, there is some respite knowing that the perpetrator of the heinous crime is in jail. 

''Our team in Mechukha will continue to extend all possible support to the survivors and their families. We also appeal to the govt of Arunachal Pradesh to extend necessary help to the survivors and their families,'' he added.
 

Also read: Arunachal: 21 victims seek justice as sexual predator still walks free