Nagaland: Woman arrested in minor boy abuse case released on bail

Our Reporter
Dimapur, May 5 (EMN): The woman accused of abusing a minor boy in Mokokchung was released on bail after being arrested by the police, as “she was in her early stage of pregnancy”.

A police officer from Mokokchung told Eastern Mirror that the accused person was arrested and kept under custody after an FIR was lodged against her but was released a few hours later as she was granted bail over her pregnancy.

However, he maintained that they will continue the investigation and book her before forwarding to the court.

“Further course of action will be initiated, but at the moment, since she is in her early stage of pregnancy, she is not in custody/jail,” said the police officer.

Takotila Jamir, Centre Co-ordinator of Childline Mokokchung informed that the incident came to light on April 27 when the mother of the 9-year-old boy, who worked as a domestic help in the house of the accused, decided to visit her son during a trip to Mokokchung for a church-related work. On finding out that her son was being abused, she took him away to another place and called the Childline Mokokchung.

Jamir said that after receiving the call at around 8 pm, they went to visit the child and took him for medical examination and investigation along with Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the police.

After the investigation, they handed the boy to the child’s mother and filed an FIR against the accused in Mokokchung Police Station I.

The Childline Mokokchung official informed that the child was brought to the woman’s house in March this year to work as a domestic help. The child informed her that he was often abused during his short stay there.

She also updated that the condition of the child is better now but he is still in Mokokchung and undergoing some medications.

The image of the minor boy with swollen face and marks all over his body was widely circulated on social media, triggering anger among the users.

The Eastern Nagaland Women’s Organisation (ENWO) also condemned the act, while appealing to the higher authorities to take up the matter with utmost importance and take stringent action against the accused as per the law.

In a press release, the ENWO stated that ‘no individual has the right to use violence to prove superiority over someone from the weaker section who are not capable of protecting themselves’. It further acknowledged the Childline Mokokchung for its prompt and swift action on the case.

The Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) also condemned the act meted out to the minor boy.

It said the minor boy was living with family of the accused under foster care, where he was physically tortured. Stating that the boy’s body bore marks of the inhuman suffering, it said such cruelty cannot be justified in any manner. The MTLT further demanded the concerned government agency to immediately rehabilitate the young victim under relevant government programme so that the mental and physical trauma of the boy can be alleviated to some extent.

It also appreciated the Childline 1098 for its prompt response and registering an FIR with the police in co-ordination with the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).