Minor gang-raped near Pakyong

POLICE ARREST TWO ACCUSED, ANOTHER TWO ABSCONDING
GANGTOK, 30 Dec: Disturbing news continues to ambush people already in shock over the Delhi Shame. At a time when the national capital and most other metropolitan cities in the country are seething over the recent brutal rape and eventual death of a 23-year-old medical student, comes news of a gang rape of a minor here in Sikkim.
A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by four persons, one of them suspected to be in his early teens and a minor himself, on 28 December.
The victim was found in the jungles of Bharlang, East Sikkim, 24 hours after she went missing. Sources inform that even when she was initially found, she was too disoriented and too deep in shock to reach out to the person who found her. In fact, as reported, when Shriman Gurung, a villager of Bharlang, found her on the morning of 29 December, and approached her with kind words and questions as to her home, the girl hid and eventually fled deeper into the forest.
Shriman Gurung returned to Bharlang to inform the people that the missing girl was in the forest and then her proceeded to the spot and brought her home.
As soon as Pakyong police received the information, they rushed the victim to the Pakyong PHC from where she was forwarded to the STNM Hospital. The medical report is awaited. The police also got into action and made a quick arrest, starting with 26 year old Purney Kami who was initially rounded up on suspicion for questioning.
It was during interrogation that he is alleged to have revealed details about the incident.
Based on police investigation into the case, four persons, including a teenager, stand accused of the gang rape. Of the four, two are already under custody. Behind bars along with Purney Kami is 29 year old Nar Bahadur Kami. The two have managed to avoid arrest and are absconding at present are Man Bahadur Kami, 24, and the juvenile who is informed to work as a ‘handy-boy’.
All the accused are reported to be from Chitgolai, which is about half a kilometer from Bharlang from where the victim hailed. Bharlang itself is about 18 km from Pakyong police station towards Rorathang. The first complaint was incidentally lodged at the Rorathang police outpost and the case was later shifted to the Pakyong police station.
It is now reportedly learnt that the accused had also molested the victim a few days earlier. Meanwhile, the Pakyong police have raided all known ‘homes’ of the handy-boy who has night pads at Changey Senti, Machong and other places as well. As per police, the case is being investigated with utmost seriousness.
As per police the 14-year-old girl had gone out taking the family goats for grazing on 28 December. She didn’t return that day or even during the night. A search party of her family members and villagers went out the same day itself in search of her but had to return empty handed.
Meanwhile, speaking to NOW! today over the phone, Chairperson, Sikkim Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Manita Pradhan, strongly condemned the incident. She expressed that the commission has full faith that the Sikkim Police will take immediate and appropriate action to nab the absconding culprits. The Chairperson also demanded that the perpetrators be served stringent punishment.