DIMAPUR — The Kohima Police has arrested a person named Vilie alias Avilie Mere (20 years), a resident of Tsiesema Basa Village under Chiephobozou Police Station, in connection with the rape case of a minor registered at Women Police Station, Kohima.
According to an update by the Kohima Police, the arrested individual has admitted to the commission of the crime, and a criminal investigation is in progress.
[bsa_pro_ad_space id=1]Meanwhile, the office of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Union, Kohima (ENPUK), has expressed gratitude to the law enforcement agencies, investigation officers, and civil organisations and authorities of the concerned village for their cooperation and swift response in providing logistical support to arrest the culprit and ensure security for the victim and her family.
ENPUK, in a press statement, stated that due to an efficient investigation, the culprit, a BA 1st semester student at Kohima College, was arrested on July 29, and after thorough interrogation, he confessed to the crime.
While strongly condemning the heinous crime committed by Mere on the 5-year-old child, which ENPUK stated was beyond human comprehension, it urged the authorities to deliver justice at the earliest by taking appropriate action as per relevant laws. ENPUK further appealed to the public to remain calm and not take the law into their own hands.
Read: TMK condemns sexual assault on minor girl
Giving a brief overview of the crime under the Tsiesema jurisdiction and the events thereafter, ENPUK stated that on the day of the crime, upon finding their daughter missing, the parents, neighbours, and relatives searched for the child and found her crying, bruised, weak, and unable to walk. Upon returning home, it was confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted. The matter was immediately reported to law enforcement through an FIR.
According to the statement, after the incident, the Yimkhiung Union Kohima, ENPUK, and Eastern Nagaland Women’s Organisation Kohima unit cooperated with law enforcement by keeping the criminal act confidential to avoid obstructing the investigation’s hunt for the culprit.
Related: NAWO flays rape of minor girl
Thereafter, several meetings were held with the district administration, security officers, the Child Welfare Society, and law enforcement, but there was no breakthrough in arresting the culprit even after 20 days. ENPUK, consequently, convened a joint coordination meeting of all seven tribal units on July 29 at the DUDA guest house, Kohima, and decided to serve an ultimatum to the commissioner of Nagaland through a mass public rally.