IMPHAL, August 8: A 35 year old pregnant woman has today claimed that she was allegedly gang raped besides being brutally tortured by three individuals after being kidnapped from Lilong area.
Narrating her ordeal during a press conference held in the evening today at the Manipur Press Club, the victim Ibem (name changed) stated that the incident occurred on July 28 evening when she was kidnapped by the three accused while returning home while she was returning home after attending a family matter at her maternal home at Lilong bazaar.
She further identified the three accused as MV Habibulla, 28, s/o Md. Najeruddin of Lilong Dam, MV. Mahei, 30, s/o MV Ahanbi of Lilong Haoreibi and MV Hesam, 31, s/o Md. Yaima of Lilong Turel Ahanbi.
Further, briefing the conference, she alleged that the trio abducted her from near Lilong Turel Ahanbi and whisked her away in a van on July 28 evening.
She also added that when she asked her abductors behind the reason of her abduction, she was told that she had been abducted because of a wrongdoing of her husband who has been identified as a drug peddler from whom localities had reportedly seized a bag containing SP tablets.
Further narrating her ordeal, she informed the media persons that, she was taken to one of her alleged abductor Habibulla’s residence where she was tied up and blindfolded.
She has further charged the trio of abusing and assaulting her besides raping her on numerous counts.
Meanwhile, she added that after her family couldn’t find her the whole night of July 28, the family members alongwith the locals conducted a massiveman hunt on July 29 and on getting reports her being at Habibulla’s residence, the locals rescued her from there. However, fearing defamation and lost of honour in the locality, she along with her family remained silent, she added.
Sitara Begum, mother of the alleged victim who also accompany her during the conference, told media persons that Ibem was found in very weak condition and had to be immediately rushed to a private clinic at Lilong, from where she was referred to RIMS for further medication.
On being asked about the long delay in coming out to public about the incident, Ibem said that she was afraid since her own husband was a drug peddler and she was afraid for herself too, however, her own husband on whose account she had faced the whole assault has discarded her after the incident and that she is living at her mother’s residence as of now.
And now with nothing to lose, she has come out in the open to send out a message to all people concerned about the violence that woman has to suffer for their husbands and family.
Anguished with the inhumane crime meted out against her, Ibem has drawn the attention of the authority concerned to intervene in the matter and deliver justice to her. While conceding to the fact that her husband is a drug peddler and the ill effect of drugs in the society, she decried, “it does not mean that I must be punished inhumanely because of my husband’s wrong doings”.
Meanwhile, a case has also been filed at the CJM Thoubal in connection with the incident by Sitara Begum, victim’s mother. The court has issued an arrest warrant for the three accused. However the accused are is reportedly absconding, she added.
