Working widow raped near NIT campus, tests positive for COVID during Medical examination; 3 arrested

Crime against women is on the rise in Barak Valley. Ghungoor, Dholai, Lakhipur, reports of atrocities against women are surfacing from all corners of Cachar district. And in most cases, tribal women are the victims. In the wee hours of Sunday, a Swacchata Karmachari at a private nursing home was returning to her home from work after completing her night duty. She is a Madhutilla resident and because she could not find any affordable mode of communication, she decided to walk through the NIT Campus.

As she crossed the Kendriya Vidyalaya School Premises, a bike rider offered to drop her at home. She refused but after he insisted time and again she agreed to sit behind his motorcycle. The man, according to her statement, lives in the nearby Madhutilla Goala Basti and that is why she agreed to sit on his motorcycle.

He took a wrong turn and stopped in the woods near Boys Hostels inside NIT Campus. There, according to her statement, the man raped her and a couple of others joined him. Being sexually assaulted by three men, she started screaming. NIT Campus has security officials deployed, fearing them, the three miscreants ran away from the spot.

“Her brother, friends and neighbour, we all rushed to see what happened and we rescued her. She has two children and lives at her paternal house since the death of her husband,” informed her sister while speaking with Barak Bulletin.

She herself went to the Police station and filed a complaint. The inspector in charge sent the widow to Silchar Medical College and Hospital for medical tests. As per protocol, before other tests, she had to undergo COVID test. Her samples tested positive for COVID19. Dr. Gunajit Das Professor and Head of the department, Forensic Medicine said the victim testing positive does not stop them from carrying out the forensic investigation.

“If we wait for 10-14 days, by the time she recovers from COVID, we will lose the evidence. So, we had to put on the PPE and carry out the forensic investigation. All the necessary tests were performed. For one investigation, we need to perform an X-Ray. We could not do that at the moment, but if we do it after 14 days, we won’t lose the evidence or the delay would not come in the way of Police investigation,” informed Dr. Das.

He added, “After performing the tests, we took all necessary steps as per the standard operating procedure. Like we have seen in the cases in the gynecology department, we cannot wait for the COVID to subside and thus we take the protection and continue with our routine exercise.”

After the medical tests, she was asked to remain in home isolation, by the doctors. Her sister says, she has got depressed and is having suicidal tendencies. “Locked in isolation, she has stopped eating and is not talking with anyone. Her kids are little and we all are very worried that she might take the wrong step any moment,” says the sister of the woman who was allegedly raped.

Police has managed to arrest prime accused Kanhai Lal Goala, Mahesh Goala, and one more. Police sources informed all three were arrested from Madhutilla Goala Basti and presented at the court for further proceedings.

The woman belongs to the Manipuri community. After a Riang woman was allegedly gang-raped in Dholai, another case of atrocity against a tribal woman is worrying the fraternity. However, in each case, the Police managed to nab the culprit(s) within a day.