A northeast girl molested in Delhi

(Delhi Unsafe for Northeast girls)

Bruce K. Thangkhal
New Delhi, May 28, 2010: In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old boy allegedly beaten up a young Northeast girl in Munirka here on Thursday night.

An FIR has been lodged at the Vasant Vihar Police Station. The accused, Madlub Salmani was booked under section 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 323 (Voluntarily causing hurt) of Indian Penal Code (1860). The accused belongs to Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh.

The incident took place infront of the Lucky Saloon at Babulal Chowk in Munirka. Babulal Chowk is a central point in Munirka, which the northeasterners themselves called ‘Airport’. Munirka is an uptown village in South Delhi, densely inhabited by the northeast communities.

According to the victim (name withheld), she went out from her room to buy shampoo at nearby shop. While she was talking to her friend infront of the Lucky Saloon at around 7.30 pm. The accused Madlub Salmani, a barber in Lucky Saloon, suddenly pushed her from her back so much so that she almost fell down into the drainage. When she politely asked the reason, the accused Salmani allegedly kicked her face with his legs and repeatedly punches here. The accused also hit the girl’s head with an iron rod but unluckily he missed her head. The victim sustained injuries on her left eye and head. She works in a private firm somewhere in Gurgaon and lives alone in Munirka for the past many years. Now the victim fears for her life.

At the spot, the lone eye-witnessed Luntinsat, Secretary, Kuki Students’ Democratic Front informed some of the N-E leaders, NE Helpline Spokesperson Madhu Chandra and his friends. Luikang Lamak, President, Naga Students’ Union Delhi immediately rushed to the spot and reported the matter to the Police Station in Vasant Vihar. When the police came, the accused fled from the scene.

The owner of Saloon, Lucky was then taken into detention for questioning the whereabouts of culprit. Soon after, the police nabbed the absconding culprit, Madlub Salmani.

The victim was brought to Safdarjang hospital for medical test, accompanied by Luntinsat, Secretary, KSDF and Ellen Lunniang, President, Gangte Welfare Association Youth Wing, Delhi. Various leaders from the northeast communities thronged the police station. Some others conveyed their strong supports through phone calls to Luikang, the man who leads the case.

Speaking to this reporter, Shri Pavan Kumar, Inspector of Police, Vasant Vihar Police Station, surprisingly said, “The accused did not show any repentant to his unlawful deeds against the victim. When a person committed offence for the first time, they usually have a certain amount of guilty feeling. But this man does not have such feeling at all.”

While asking if any danger could happen to the victim’s life in future, “No, no, there is no danger for the life of victim. Once the process began, the accused will remain in jail and will face the punishments according to law. Accordingly, the accused can be put behind the bars upto two years in maximum. Gradually he would realize his big mistake. Next time, he will think more than ten times before taking such drastic action,” the inspector replied positively to this reporter.

Inspector Kumar also added, “Prevention of ST/SC Atrocities Act cannot be applied in this case since the accused was not aware of the victim’s caste or community”.

Lalboi Baite, Vice President, Kuki Students’ Organisation Delhi also says a number of molestations, eve-teasing, physical assaults, passing lewd comments, etc meted out by the northeast women went unnoticed and unreported.

“The increasing crime against women in our national capital is a serious issue and it tends to move upwardly. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit must initiate new measures for the safety of women in general and particularly, the Northeast women.

A Northeast girl, residing in Munirka, who was brutally murdered at her room by a Ph D student of IIT Delhi in October last year had clearly shown the unsafety of Northeast girls. When it comes to the safety of women in Delhi, it is a big shame for India, the national capital is alarming with such crime,” says Luikang, a veteran Northeast student leader.

Now, the majority of the Northeast women living in Delhi felt unsafe and insecure more and more. The feeling of fear has over shadowed them especially those who are working late at night. The Delhi Police must tighten up their belt to make Delhi a safer place for women otherwise the capital would remain terrible for women.