Indian Army personnel rape a twelve year old girl in Assam


Name:- Miss Mamoni Koch. Age: 12 Yrs.
D/o:- Mr. Umesh Koch.
Vill:- Komarchuburi,
P.O.:-Dhekiajuli.
Dist.:- Sonitpur, Assam.
Background:- Student of class VII

Perpretrator:- Indian Army operating in the area and camped at Dhekiajuli
               Industrial Centre (25 Punjub Regiment)

EVENT

Date:- 25 July 1997.
Time:- 6 P.M.
Place:-Komarchuburi, Dhekiajuli, Sonitpur.
Registered Case No:- Dhekiajuli Police Station-150/97, u/s- 376/354 IPC.

25th July '97: A group of Army soldiers raided Village Komarchuburi in search of an ULFA activist and forced every villager who could not hide or was not bed-ridden to gather in the center of the village. When this was going on, two Armymen forcefully detained Miss Mamoni and her mother in their house. First, both Army jawans tried to molest Miss Mamoni's mother, but she managed to escape. Then one of the Army jawans picked up Miss Mamoni, took her to the kitchen and raped her. When her sick grandmother tried to protect Mamoni, one of the Army men kicked her with his boot. After the incident the Army jawans gave a ten rupee note to Miss Mamoni.

FOLLOW-UP

Mr. Umesh Koch, father of Miss Mamoni, who was immediatly informed about the incident by her wife, made a complaint to the officer in charge of the operation. The Army officer called his group and the culprit was identified by Miss Mamoni in front of the Army officer and other villagers. Latter, Mr. Umesh Koch filed a case at the Dhekiajuli Police Station. The Chief Judicial Magistrate of Sonitpur District also examined the F.S.L. report. The Dhekiajuli Police recorded the statement of Miss Mamoni Koch under 164 Cr.P.C. The case is pending at the court.(G R 997/97) Local units of AASU (a student organization), AJYCP (a youth organization) and Mohila Porishad (a women's organization) arranged wide public protests demanding that officials punish the culprit and prevent such incidents in the future. AJYCP called for a local strike on 26th of July from 12 A.M. to 3 P.M. and the AASU unit called for a 'black out' in the evening from 7 P.M.to 9 P.M. On 25th of July hundreds of local women organized a protest rally in front of the D.C.'s office and submitted a memorendum demanding the punishment of the culprit. The Army Brigadier Mr. K.K. Kohle, the Deputy commissionar and the Suptd. of Police of the Sonitpur District also visit the house of Miss Mamoni Koch to enquire the incident.