Gangtok, May 17 (PTI): Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling today asked the police to strictly monitor and curb crimes against women following the rape of a Kolkata girl by a taxi driver in north Sikkim on the night of May 15. Expressing deep regret over the incident which is rare in the tourist-friendly state, the chief minister said, "The rapist who sexually assaulted the tourist from Kolkata must be punished and the police should expose him openly in society." The girl, aged 16 years, was on a tour to Sikkim along with her two friends after the end of the class X board examinations in West Bengal, the police said. They hired a taxi in Gangtok driven by Prem Rai for sightseeing. They reached Tashi View Point, 5 kms from Gangtok towards north Sikkim, where the driver, aged 22 years, offered them snack and water suspectedly laced. The police said that sometime after this the three felt drowsy. Taking advantage of their condition, the driver started molesting a student who was seated beside him. When the other two girls tried to stop him, they were hit by a heavy object. The two girls got down and screamed for help while running towards Phodong and also called their parents and relatives. They reported the matter with the Gangtok Sadar Thana. The police spoted the the car speeding along the North highway and stopped it. The girl was found on the back seat of the car in unconscious condition.
