The attempt of rape by a RAF jawan to a student in Darjeeling: HRPA report

Student protestors in Darjeeling Thana  All Photos: HRPA

KalimNews, Kalimpong, 28 September 2013: Human Rights Protection Association of Darjeeling reports the incident of molestation and attempt to rape of a minor student in Darjeeling. 

It was reported to the HRPA about the incident in the jurisdiction of Ghoom Jorebunglow Police station. It involved a minor girl who is barely sixteen years old and a resident of Barbatty and a student of class eleven. She is also a patient of a Heart disease and her left hand is immovable and she is also an orphan who is been taken care by her Bara(Uncle). 

The incident took place at Upper Barbatty Forest Village at around 10:30 am of 28 September 2013 and the accused is a constable with RAF, which has been deployed due to recent unrest in the Hills. 

The accused is a resident of Barrackpore, Kolkatta and his name is Arun Parmanik(age 28) id (1028) who is posted at Ghoom Bhanjayang checkpost. A formal complaint and a FIR has been lodged with the police at Ghoom sadar thana. 

According to the victim she had reached school at around 9:00 am in the morning and reaching school she found out that it was closed, so she headed back to home and reached the said check post also known as Rato Godam where the accused is posted. 

The accused had crossed her at Deorali and he had called her on which the victim tried to run, the accused started following her and had started asking her name and address,he was telling her not to be afraid as he was his friend. 

During this the accused and the victim reached the forest area which she has to cross to reach her home, and then the accused finding this a suitable area asked the victim to shake hands in a gesture to show that he was harmless, if only the little kid knew his intentions, as soon as she held her hand out to shake hands she was pulled closed and the accused tried to do the shameful. 

The girl was terrified and started screaming for help and ran towards her home and fortunately her aunt and her cousin brother who were heading towards town intercepted her. Her brother asked her what had happened and why she was screaming. 

After hearing what she had to say he ran after the accused. When her brother caught up with the accused he showed his ID and tried to intimidate him but he being brave and having a presence of mind snatched the id and phoned the police.

The police has taken the accused in custody and we at HRPA spoke to Mrs. Sarita Pariyar(C.I) and Mr.Tapan Pal(S.I) and have emphasized that they see justice is served. However due to this incident, Darjeeling was transformed into a war zone the students called for a bandh and had gheraoed Darjeeling Sadar Thana and the police resorted to lathi charge and there was some firing of tear gas. The protesters pelted stones and bricks at the police and no incident of casualties has been reported so far.