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Khunti gangrape incident in Jharkhand was planned, says National Commission for Women

A three-member team of the national commission, who were sent to Khunti investigate the case, cast doubt on the conduct of the school manager who reportedly failed to inform authorities.

Updated on: Jun 28, 2018, 17:57:57 IST
New Delhi | By
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The National Commission for Women said on Thursday the alleged gangrape of five NGO workers at gunpoint in Jharkhand’s Khunti district was planned ahead, and it questioned the role of the manager of the school from where the women were abducted.

Police seized traditional weapons after a raid of the Ghaghra village to arrest those accused in the gangrape of five women activists, in Khunti on June 27, 2018. (Diwakar Prasad/ HT Photo)
Police seized traditional weapons after a raid of the Ghaghra village to arrest those accused in the gangrape of five women activists, in Khunti on June 27, 2018. (Diwakar Prasad/ HT Photo)

The five women had gone to Kochang village in the district to create awareness on migration and human trafficking on June 19, when they were allegedly abducted from RC Mission School and later gangraped at gunpoint.

The NCW, which had sent a three-member team to Khunti, cast serious doubts over the conduct of Father Alfonso Aiend, the school manager who reportedly failed to inform authorities about the abduction of the ‘nukkad natak’ team members.

“He also persuaded the victims to not disclose the facts to anyone. It is, therefore, considered that he has definitely acted contrary to the legal requirements and possibly connived with the accused in committing the crime,” the NCW said.

The NCW team also interacted with the two sisters and nuns who had accompanied the survivors to Kochang area.

Details of action taken by the state administration were also scrutinised by the fact-finding team and based on the interactions, the role of Father Aiend in the incident has been questioned by the team.

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