The state Assembly’s committee for women’s empowerment has sought for a report from the Social Welfare Department on the status of the five minors, who police say they rescued during the infamous raid Rimpu Bagan farmhouse in Tura.
The farmhouse belongs to BJP Vice President and Tura MDC Bernard Marak, who police are on the hunt for. The authorities claim that the property was operating more like a brothel than a homestay or resort, as Marak has described it as.
Police informed over the weekend that five children – four boys and a girl – were “found locked inside dingy cabin-like unhygienic rooms”. The children were reportedly in a state of shock and could not speak. They were handed over to the District Child Protection Officer for safe custody, police added.
Today, the Assembly committee’s chairperson, Ampareen Lyngdoh, said that the Social Welfare Department has been asked to submit a report by August 8.
Meanwhile, the committee also dwelled on other crimes, such as the brutal double murder of two siblings by their father in Shillong’s Nongrah neighbourhood. The committee was informed that the Social Welfare Department has already processed an ex-gratia payment to the family, with the amount to be transferred within the next 10 days.
Committee member Himalaya Shangpliang raised concerns concerning the mental health of the mother of murdered children. He said, “The Department of Social Welfare needs to take care of the mental health of the mother and the department has to submit a report within one week’s time to this committee as to what steps the government and the department have taken to ensure better mental health.”
Furthermore, the East Jaiñtia Hills Superintendent of Police informed the committee that 26 crimes against women and children, including those that fall under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, were registered in the district since January. The committee has asked for details of the cases by August 8.
Other matters that were discussed were the high levels of teenage pregnancy in Meghalaya and the problem of drugs.
Shangpliang added that the committee has received complaints that employees in the hospital, IT and security sectors are not getting maternity leave. The matter will be further delved into on August 8.
