IMPHAL, December 7: Students of Tamphasana Girls (TG) Higher Secondary School today held a sit-in-protest demanding life imprisonment for the two accused Yumnam William and Thongam Tarun of the rape case of a student of the institute.
The sit-in-protest was held at the school gate, with students resorting to sloganeering “Respect the dignity of women”, “Do not disturb educational peace”, “Reward accused Tarun and William with lifetime imprisonment” etc.
Meanwhile, on the side-line of the protest, students said that the final hearing of the case has been fixed on December 9, 2013.
“We would like these impudent, atrocious persons to be kept imprisoned for the whole of their life separately from other human beings”- expressed a student participating in the protest demanding befitting punishment to be awarded to the two accused- the same punishment as in the recent Delhi rape cased rewarded by SC ruling, adding that the punishment should be a land mark in the history of Manipur for those who see women as puppets.
On November 16, the final argument hearing for the case was concluded at District & Session Judge, Manipur East where it was announced that the final order of the case will be passed on December 9, she added.
It may be mentioned that the two accused Yumnam William Singh, 28, son of late Y Deben Singh of Khagempalli Pankha and Thongam Tarun Singh, 27, son of Th Jayanta Singh of Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai were arrested by the Lamphel police under FIR No. 325 (10)2012 Lamphel PS, U/S366/376/34 IPC RW 109/120-B/201 IPC, in connection with the alleged involvement in the rape of a girl student of the school during December last year.
The case is being taken up at District & Session Judge, Manipur East, Cheirap Court complex under ST Case No 2 of 2013 dated 25/2/2013, where during the course of hearing of the case, statements of about 20 witnesses were reportedly taken before the Judge.
It may also be recalled that different women organisations and human rights bodies have been demanding severe punishments to the culprits and representatives of various women organisations had thronged the Cheirap court complex on every day of hearing of the case where the two accused were produced before the court.