Srinagar, July 21, 2011: A 30-year-old married tribeswoman Rukaya Banoo wife of Muhammad Lateef Bhat of Gujjardhar Manzgam was abducted by the Indian army personnel and gang raped her at Manzigam in Damhal Hanjipora in Kulgam district. "The woman had gone to fetch water in Manzigam when Indian army troopers abducted her on Monday. Today she returned back saying that she was picked up by the group of Indian army and gang raped her," the protestor told media men. The protestors also raised anti-India and pro-liberation slogans. Thousands of people staged protest against the gang rape of a woman by Indian troops in Kulgam district, today. The protesters said that army personnel belonging to 62-Rashtriya Rifles were involved in the rape.
The 30 year old married woman reported to the police that she was abducted by some unidentified army personnel from Kheranbal Behak on July 19 and gang-raped for two consecutive days inside a dhok before being released Wednesday night. . She said that she was released last night by the armymen.
Her husband, Mohammad Lateef said that when his wife failed to return from the stream on the fateful day, he went out and tried to search for her. “I shouted for some time, but couldn’t find her. I stopped the searches after I noticed an Army patrol passing through the area,” he said.
"She had gone out for ablutions at about 7 pm on July 19 and after that she did not return home. She came back July 21," her relatives told police. They also said Rukaya had been forcibly detained by the two Army men in a meadow hutment for two days.
Senior police officers rushed to the concerned police station in Kulgam and recorded her statement, the sources said, adding the woman will be sent for medical examination.
The victim recorded her statement before so-called Minister of State for Home and Director General of Police who flew to the area after massive protests.
Station House Officer DH Mohammad Shafi said that they have registered an FIR against the army. "FIR number 66 of 2011 under section 366, 376 has been registered against the army men," SHO said. He said that the police have recorded the statement of the woman and her medical examination has been conducted.
“We have registered a case Fir no 66/2011 under section 366, 376-RPC against the Army on the basis of a complaint filed by the woman in Police Station Damhal Hanji Pora, into an abduction and rape of a lady,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
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Meanwhile, Director General of Police (DGP) Kuldeep Khoda, Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani and Social Welfare Minister Sakina Itoo visited the village and assured the locals of stern action against the troopers, if found guilty.
Deputy Inspector General Police south Kashmir Range, Shafqat Watali said that the girl recorded her statement before the police saying she was raped by two Army personnel
“At about 1300 hours one Rukaya Banoo wife of Muhammad Lateef Bhat of Gujjardhar Manzgam, presently at Bhek-Chiranbal, came to Police Sation Damhal Hanjipora (D H Pora )accompanied by her brother- in-law and reported that on July 19, 2011 (Tuesday), at about 7 pm in the evening, when she was returning from a nearby spring to her home, two persons in Indian army force uniform appeared in her way. Both were carrying weapons and forced her to accompany them to Jungle. The duo kept her in a dhok and raped her. There were some utensils and one of them would make tea in another dhok. They would take biscuits and didn’t give anything to her. Both of them were sporting beard. They would talk to her in Gojri, and with each other the exchanged different languages. They left her today morning and she reached her home and informed her brother in law-Shah Wali Bhat the whole incident,” the police spokesman added.
“On this report, Police have registered a case and a Special Investigation Team has been constituted to investigate the matter,” he added.
The team, sources said, is headed by Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Kulgam, and Muhammad Shafi Mir. He will be assisted by DySP and Station House Officer (SHO) Damhal Hanjipora.
Meanwhile, Family members of the victim said that on Tuesday evening she had gone to perform ablution nearby her hut before she could go for evening prayers, when two army men abducted her. “The army personnel after taking her along kept her confined in a hut in the nearby Kadalbal forests for nearly 36 hours till Thursday morning,” they said, adding that she returned home this morning sayng that she was gang raped by the soldiers.
Quoting the victim, the family said the army men before leaving her threatened her of dire consequences in case she reported the incident to any one. “I can identify both the army men,” the family members quoted the victim as having said. They said the victim was in a state of shock and returned to her home while dragging herself from the forests.
"On Tuesday evening I went out to wash my mouth for offering prayers. As I reached near the stream and started washing my mouth, two uniformed men carrying weapons and wireless came behind me, shut my mouth and took me to a hut," sources quoted the woman as stating before the police in presence of some senior citizens.
They said, the woman said that the uniformed men after taking her to a hut gang-raped her for two days. "After taking me to the hut they removed the cloth from my mouth and offered me tea and biscuits which I refused to take. After my refusal they raped me one by one and continued to do the same for two days," the woman, said in her statement, according to sources. She said that the army men this morning released her in a jungle.
"After being released in a forest this morning I managed to reach my home with difficulty as I was not able to walk," the woman, sources said, stated before the police.
Official sources said a young woman (name withheld) hailing from Gujjardara-Manzgam in Kulgam district said that she was abducted by some army personnel from Kheranbal Behak on July 19 and gang-raped. She said that she was released last night by the armymen.
As the word about the gang rape spread in the area, hundreds of people including women and children took to streets at Manzgam village and staged pro-freedom demonstrations.
VICTIM RECORDS STATEMENT BEFORE MOS HOME, DGP: puppet Minister of State for Home, Nasir Aslam Wani, and Director General of Police, Kuldeep Khoda, immediately flew to the village and met the victim. The victim reiterated her statement in presence of MoS Home, DGP, DC Kulgam and Social Welfare Minister and local MLA Sakina Itoo.
“I can identify the soldiers. They were in uniform and had guns and wireless sets with them,” the victim told the dignitaries.
ASP Kulgam, Muhammad Shafi Mir, told Greater Kashmir, “The victim’s medical examination has been conducted at the district hospital Kulgam and a DNA examination will also be done,” Mir said.
Police forms SIT: A police spokesman on July 21 evening said a special investigation team has been set up to probe the abduction and gang rape incident at Damhal Hanjipora “Police has registered a case FIR No:-66/2011 under section 366,376-RPC in Police Station Damhal Hanji Pora, into an abduction and rape of lady,” a police spokesman said Following is the full text of his statement.
“Today at about 1300 hours one Rukaya Banoo wife of Mohammad Latief Bhat resident of Gujjardhar Manzgam, presently at Bhek-Chiranbal, came to P/S D.H.Pora accompanied by her brother in law and reported that on 19-07-2011 (Tuesday), at about 7 in the evening, when she was returning from a nearby Spring to her home, two persons in security force uniform appeared in her way. Both were carrying weapons and forced her to accompany them to Jungle. The duo kept her in a dhok and raped her. There were some utensils and one of them would make tea in another dhok. They would take biscuits and didn’t give anything to her. Both of them were sporting beard. They would talk to her in Gojri, and with each other they exchange different language. They left her today morning and she reached her home and informed her brother in law-Shah Wali Bhat the whole incident. On this report, Police has registered a case FIR No:-66/2011 under section 366,376-RPC in Police Station Damhal Hanji Pora, and a special investigation team has been announced to investigate the matter.”