Rape of a minor girl, Police refuses to register case in Manikchari

Police in Manikchari Thana under Khagrachari district refused to register a case from the father of Ruikrashu Aung Marma, a minor girl, who was raped on 4 December 2007. (Photo attached)

Hill Watch Human Rights Forum reported on 7 December 2007 (News No. 56) that 10-year old "Apruma Marma" was subjected to sexual assault. In fact, her name was wrongly spelt in the said report and she was actually raped by Shahin from Gochchabil village under Manikchari Thana.

In a written complaint, which the OC of Manikchari police station refused to register, Mr. Ramau Marma, father of the victim, alleged that on 4 December 2007, Tuesday, at about 9:30 a.m. her daughter Ruikrashu Aung Marma aged 10 and a third grade student was going to Warkchari Government Primary School when Shahin from Gochchabil village raped her near a lonely jungle path at Hafchari, approximately 500 yards from the school. At around 10 a.m. on the basis of information provided by an unknown passerby, the school headmaster rescued the victim.

The complaint continued: "On the same day at 7 p.m. at the initiative of Abul Kalam, the UP member of the area, a meeting was held at Jamtala in which members from both Jumma and Bengali communities were present. The meeting was successful in identifying the rapist and placed him under private custody of Kalam Member. It was also decided in the meeting that an arbitration meeting would be held the next day. However, as Shahin, the rapist, fled from custody, the scheduled arbitration meeting did not take place."

Thereafter, Mr. Ramau Marma decided to take recourse to police help and on 7 December went to Manikchari police station to lodge a formal complaint. However, the Officer-in-charge refused to register the case and allegedly threatened him not to thread the path of misadventure by filing a case against any Bengali settler.

President of Hill Women's Federation, Ms Sonali Chakma in a statement issued to the press from Chittagong today condemned the rape of Ruikrashu Aung Marma and expressed outrage at police's refusal to register a case in connection with the incident.

She demanded that the culprit be arrested and brought to justice, the victim compensated and the victim's father is allowed to lodge the complaint.


Source from-Hill Watch Human Rights Forum,contact: hwhrf_99@yahoo.com or hwhrf.cht@gmail.com