LAMKA, June 30: In a shocking incident involving security personnel, personnel of the 1st Indian Reserve Battalion posted at the Khuga Dam post allegedly molested a woman, who was visiting the nearby areas of the dam along with a male friend.
The incident which occurred a few weeks ago came to light only after the incident which was allegedly captured in a mobile phone by one of the personnel was posted in a social networking site. The video has however, been removed from the site.
The four IRB personnel identified as T Sonlianhau Tungdum, son of Ginkhanmang of Mata village; Havildar Nengsuanmung, son of (L) L Gouchin of Sanhei Road, New Lamka; Havildar Thiyam Chouba Singh, son of (L) Th. Khongnem of Khong Ahanbi, Thoubal and Ningthoujam Dokendro Singh, son of Pishak Singh of Sekmai have been arrested.
Meanwhile, locals tormed the police station till late into the night demanding the police to hand over the culprits to them.
Addressing media persons, the CCpur SP said the police have visited the spot based on a complaint lodged by a social worker of the area, which resulted in the arrest of the four involved personnel this afternoon around 3:25pm from their post.
The SP added that the IRB personnel had molested the woman and her male friend who were captured in intimate moments on their mobile phone. The video clip was later circulated on the internet.
He said the arrest was based on the identification made by the women who had been visited by the police yesterday for further investigation.
As per the requirement, the police will add more appropriate IPCs and other Acts against the four accused.
In the meantime it has also emerged that IRB personnel posted in the dam area have been taking Rs 1000 from couples entering the area.
Locals surrounded the CCpur Police Station where the accused are being kept since this evening around 4:30pm and demanded that the four accused be handed to them.
Several women organizations have also taken up the issue and said that they will not let arrangements between the two parties influence the public outcry, charging the incident to be an attack on the women’s dignity.
An FIR no. 53 (6)2013 CCP PS U/S 364/A/342/384/400 IPC had been registered at the CCpur police station.
According to reliable sources, the woman and her freind were spied upon by the IRB personnel who were watching them through their binoculars. They allegedly molested both the woman and her friend capturing the whole incident on the mobile phone.
The video showed the woman begging and saying that she was in a consensual relation. Even though the video has been deleted from Facebook, it has continued to be circulated through MMS and other means.
People while acknowledging that the couple were wrong in getting intimate in the woods, have held that the actions of the IRB personnel were improper.
Right now there are at least 55 IRB personnel posted to guard the Khuga Dam and the video shows that there was not less than 10 personnel taking part in the incident.