Yet another minor rape case has been registered in the police department. The sheer increase in the number makes one wonder: are our girls safe? Can they enjoy the freedom that their male counterparts enjoy?
A 54-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl in Tripura. The girl was allegedly raped at least on four occasions since February by Manoj Deb, an influential businessman from Teliamura in Khowai district, Agartala, Tripura whom the locals claim to be a BJP supporter, police said.
The girl was allegedly raped at the man’s farmhouse in Champlai, about 60 km from state capital Agartala. She was also threatened not to tell anyone about the incident.
But the girl somehow mustered courage and reported the matter at Bishalgarh police station, far away from her village.
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According to her complaint, she was first assaulted on February 11 and four times since then.
Last week, she added, the accused again called her to his farmhouse. The girl then confided in her close friend, who advised her to go to Bishalgarh to file an FIR. The accused has been charged with rape, criminal intimidation and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act.
“The accused has seven businesses in Teliamura and is quite an influential person. As soon as the FIR was lodged, we arrested him. Further investigations are on,” said Krishnendu Chakraborty, Khowai Superintendent of Police, told a leading news agency.
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The girl has been under extreme stress, police said.
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) alleged that the accused was state leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). However, VHP state organizational secretary Amal Chakraborty denied that the accused had any relationship with the organization.
Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Tapas De condemned the incident and demanded exemplary punishment.
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