Alleged rapist of minor lynched in Meghalaya, 2 cases registered

A daily-wage earner from South Garo Hills district in Meghalaya, who was accused of raping a minor, was killed by the rape survivor’s father and three others, the police said on Monday.

Harun Sheikh (42), a resident of a village under the jurisdiction of Silkigre police station in Meghalaya’s South Garo Hills district, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday while undergoing treatment at a local public healthcare centre.

Priyanshu Pandey, superintendent of police (SP), South Garo Hills, said the accused had committed the crime at night on August 5. The matter came to light, when on Saturday the rape survivor narrated the ordeal to her mother, who, in turn, told her husband.

The enraged father along with some of his friends accosted Sheikh and fatally injured him.

“The father of the rape survivor is among the four persons arrested and two separate cases have been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and for murder,” the SP said.

The deceased, who had married to a local Garo woman a year ago, is survived by his wife and step-children.

Anurag Thakur, deputy inspector-general (DIG) (Western Range), Meghalaya, said security has been beefed up in the area to prevent any untoward incident and the stringent norms under the POCSO Act, 2012, would be complied with.