GORKHA, Jan 27: Cases of sexual violence against minor girls in the district have surfaced with shocking revelation of their relatives behind the crime. Just in the last one month, four girls have been reportedly raped by their own family members as well as others. The victims include two mentally challenged girls. According to DSP Basanta Rajaure, investigation into the cases is going on. Particularly, the case of a girl being raped by her uncle is the most shocking of all, he stated. "We are investigating on it," he said, adding that the accused has already admitted to the crime.According to the 12-year-old victim, her father's own elder brother, who lived under the same roof with her family, would take her to a goat shed and sexually abuse her. As she was threatened, she was unable to speak about it straight away. The victim's mother is now making rounds of police station in hope of getting justice. However, the mother, even after knowing it, was hesitant to take the matter to the police. Though the child was victimized since long, the report was filed just on Saturday.
"We have received four cases of rape of minors in the last one month. Two are under 12 and other two are mentally challenged," said DSP Rajaure. According to him, girls are vulnerable when they are weak and when there's no security or proper rooms at home. He added that those rendered homeless post-earthquake have become easy victims.
In another case of rape, Akash Patel, 34, of Gorkha municipality was accused of luring a mentally challenged girl two weeks ago. He's under police custody now. Thirty one-year-old Santa Bahadur Gurung, a local of Saurpani, has been sent to jail for raping a 12-year old. Similarly, Arjun Poudel, who posed himself as a sage in Tipling village is in police custody in charge of raping an 11-year-old girl. "All these incidents within a month are alarming signs," DSP Rajure said.
"Fear of being exposed to the society force girls to remain quiet even when they are victimized. And they are vulnerable in unsafe homes. Keeping girls safe has been more challenging post-earthquake," he added. DSP Rajaure further said that disabled girls become easy prey of criminal-minded people.
"There's little chance of disabled people revolting," he said. DSP Rajure expressed commitment to try their best to give justice to the victims.
According to Prakash Pangeni, program coordinator of WOREC, cases of rapes are bit more reported now than in the past. "Few would have come forward in such cases in the past. Nowadays, it's reported more easily" he remarked. He, however, admitted that social and political influence is used by guilty to force victims to keep mum.
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