EMN
Dimapur, September 2
A youth from Tseminyu sub-division under Kohima district has been arrested by authorities on charges of attempting to rape a local woman on August 21. The police authorities of Kohima district issued a press release on Wednesday, September 2, giving accounts of the alleged crime.
Curiously, just a day ago, on Tuesday, community organizations of Kohima village had protested another case of attempted rape during a rally in the capital, Kohima town.
Kohima police said that that the authorities received a formal complaint on August 29 lodged with Tseminyu police station. The First Information Report was filed by leaders of the Tesophenyu Group Women Union.
A Naga lady, whose identity and age were not mentioned by the authorities in the press release, is said to have escaped a rape attempt allegedly mounted by one Phachulo Tep. It was not once, but twice that the accused allegedly mounted, the police said. The accused is stated to be a 26 year old youth from Nsunyu village, under Tseminyu.
According to the police, the woman was working in her field when the alleged attempt happened. The police offered accounts of the case citing statements from the alleged victim:
‘On August 21, she was closing the door of the farm hut and was preparing to return home when the accused came from behind and grabbed her on her shoulders making her difficult to move. However, she resisted the advances made by the accused and sensing the ill-motives of the accused, she shouted for help’.
‘The mother-in-law of the lady working nearby in the field heard her screaming and immediately came to her aid. The accused fled from the spot. However, while the victim and her mother-in-law were going back home from the paddy field after the first encounter with the accused, he followed them and shouted at them to halt or else he will shoot and kill them’.
‘The accused then fired several rounds from his air gun at them but missed the duo. However, the accused came in close proximity with them and managed to grab hold of the victim again at gun point and threatened to kill her if she shouted or resisted. It was only when the victim’s mother-in-law shouted for help the accused left the victim and fled from the scene.’
The police said that the youth was arrested on August 29. The air gun, the ‘weapon of offence’ a sthe police called, has been confiscated.
“During preliminary investigation, he has voluntarily admitted before the police to have committed the crime,” the police said. In this connection a criminal case against him has been lodged with Tseminyu police station. The case is under investigation, the authorities added.
Eerie coincidence?
On Tuesday, Nagaland’s capital Kohima witnessed a massive protest over an incident where a 60-year old woman was allegedly sexually assaulted by a group of men about a week ago.
According to earlier reports, the woman was getting ready to go home after completing work in a paddy field when a group of five men first tried to rape her and then assaulted her when she protested. All five persons have been arrested.
Over 10,000 people took part in the protest. The protesters, who included men and women from different communities as well as school and college students, braved heavy showers and marched through the main roads of the city and submitted a memorandum to chief minister TR Zeliang, asking him to take steps so that the alleged culprit did not come out on bail.
The memorandum demanded that the government take steps to ensure security for women and that no person committing crimes against women escapes. The protesters carried placards and raised slogans during the protest event.
