Meghalaya: Disabled woman held as ‘sex worker’ at Rimpu Bagan writes to NHRC

Tura: Immediately after getting bail from the Tura District Court, the disabled woman accused of sex work, who was also amongst the last to leave the District Jail, has written to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) seeking an intervention into the matter.

The NHRC complaint was filed on September 4.

In the report filed on Sunday, the 28-year-old woman, who was allegedly with her would-be husband when the raid took place on July 22, has raised serious questions on the entire ‘raid’ conducted by the police.

“I went there with my fiancé as I had returned from Chennai and his sister had come from Bangalore and there was not enough space in our rented house. We reached the place at about 6:30 pm and took up lodging for the night,” said the disabled accused.

The West Garo Hills police raided the property at about 7 pm after which the much reported incident began, she said.

“The police asked me and all the other girls to cooperate with them and promised to let us go after a medical. We cooperated with the police who made us wait in the premises from 6:30 pm to 1:30 am on Jul 23. We were lined up and photos of all of us taken by the police,” stated the woman in her complaint.

They were then taken to the Tura PS and thereafter for a medical to the Maternity and Child Hospital at about 7:30 am.

She added that no calls were made to her parents or guardians by the police to inform them of her detention. Her brother, however, went to the PS on Saturday and signed in the register. The next day, her parents reached the PS after being informed by well wishers.

“As I have a speech disorder, my fiancé informed the authorities on the situation and wanted to speak on my behalf. However, they were not willing to listen.

“I was then sent to the Tura District Jail along with the rest of the girls where warden, Purabi Das, assaulted me the next day without any form of provocation. Again during my statement, the I/O, Mamata Hajong, asked me to falsely state that I was not with my to-be husband but someone else. They later accused me of being a sex worker,” she added.

“Her attempts at getting bail in the case were allegedly thwarted by the I/O who had sought more time to question me as she had already told the Court that I was a sex worker despite there being not even an iota of proof,” said the complainant.

She further added that she remained wrongly incarcerated from July 22 to September 3 and is amongst the last to be released despite the police and Court knowing of her disability.

“This wrongful arrest and incarceration has led me to suffer mental trauma. Being a person with disabilities, there was no reason for me being arrested when the police had no proof of any wrongdoing from our end,” she asserted.

Seeking action against the SP of WGH, Vivekanand Singh, the IO as well as the jail warden, the woman added, “I have been termed a prostitute by the police in the case filed against me despite me being a person with disabilities (PWD) and my bail applications were rejected on the ground of me being a sex worker. This is not only wholly wrong but absurd. Those responsible for such harassment and trauma should face the consequences.”

Meanwhile, another 6 cases by those arrested during the Rimpu Bagan raid have also written to the NHRC seeking action against the people responsible for what they termed wrongful arrest, harassment by the police and mental trauma. The total number of cases to the NHRC currently stands at 22, with more likely to come forward to add to the numbers.

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