Patthalgadi supporters raped girls in Khunti: Police

The State Police on Saturday cleared air over the heinous gangrape case of five girls in Khunti, stating that the rape was committed by Patthalgadi supporters out of vengeance and not due to passion in order to teach a lesson to those who are opposing their movement. Police said two rape accused have been arrested and sent to jail alongwith Father of a missionary school, who concealed facts about the incident to the police.

ADG (Operations) and State Police Spokesperson RK Mallick said two cases were lodged after the gangrape on June 19. The first case (no 21/18) was lodged at Arki PS by Sanjay Sharma of Asha Kiran (NGO) where Fr Alphonse Aind of RC Mission School was made accused. The second case (no 3/18) was lodged on the basis of the victim’s deposition at Women’s Police Station.

Mallick said that Khunti Police led by SP Ashwini Kumar Sinha arrested two accused of the case – Ajub Sandi Purti and Ashish Longo – both residents of West Sighbhum. After the arrest six accused persons were identified and the two arrested accused have confessed about their involvement of crime under section 164 in front of a judicial magistrate.

“The accused have revealed that on June 19 when the street play group of Asha Kiran reached RC Mission School, Kochang to spread awareness against human trafficking at the same time one of the main workers of Pathhalgadi movement John Jonas Tidu had called a meeting in a neaby jungle with his friends, Pathhalgadi supporters and PLFI supporters. He said that the street play workers also talk against Patthalgadi and therefore they should be taught a lesson,” said the ADG quoting the accused persons.

“On his behest six accused persons reached the school with arms and took all the members of the street play team in their captivity and asked them to move. However, father Alphonse Aind asked them to leave two women saying that they were nuns. The accused released the two nuns. When the other girls started crying, Alphonse said that they will be released after a while,” he added.

“The girls were then taken to nearby Chhotauli jungle where three of the accused stayed at the vehicle and the rest three raped the girls, took their pictures and made videos. The male members of the street play groups sitting in the vehicle were then asked to urinate in their hands and then drink the urine. They were released after a warning that they were punished for speaking against Pathhalgadi and they should not come back in the area,” said Mallick.

He further said that on the basis of evidence Khunti police found that father Alphonse could have given information of the case directly to police. “He should have become the complainant in the case but he tried to manage it and concealed the facts. The Police thus found corroborative evidence to show his guilty mind. He has also been arrested and sent to jail in both cases,” said the ADG.

“We consider that rape is a crime of passion committed due to sexual desires but this is a clear case of crime out of vengeance and conspiracy,” said mallick adding that all accused persons have been identified and if more information on other accused person comes to fore police will take action accordingly.

Meanwhile, a two-member team of National Commission for Women visited Khunti on Saturday. The team took stock of the condition of the victims and got details of the case from officials. The NCW had earlier written to the DGP, Jharkhand directing him to appraise it about the detailed action taken in the matter at the earliest.