Morung Express News
Chennai/Dimapur | January 13
On the night of December 28, 2012, Jenifer (name changed), a 21 year old Naga girl (from Nagaland) along with her friend from Arunachal Pradesh, were resting in the accommodation in Chennai given to them by the owner, one Elan Chelian/Jelian, of Classic Aachi Restaurant where both of had been asked to stay with a promise of a job at the Restaurant. Around 8.30 pm, the owner came to their room to ask them to come along with him to “buy some household goods”. The girls refused. The owner, then, forced Jenifer out of her room and drove her to Marina Beach in Chennai. Here he launched a sexual assault on her.
Jenifer protested and started screaming for help but was threatened to keep the whole incident quiet or she would be “finished off”. By this time, however, her friend from Arunachal Pradesh had intimated the Zeliangrong Students Union Chennai (ZSUC).
A ZSUC member called to ask the owner about the girl but he denied any knowledge. Meanwhile, Jenifer, who was left in the middle of the road found her way back on foot, reaching her place at 10 pm. The ZSUC rescued the two girls that night itself. They are now under the protection of the Zeliangrong Welfare Committee, Chennai.
“On December 29, we had a meeting to establish the facts of the case, but could lodge a complaint with the Tamil Nadu State Women’s Commission only on January 2 due to holidays,” informed legal advisor to Zeliangrong Welfare Committee, Chennai, Paul Newme, who is also Secretary of seven states for Human Rights Protection, an NGO supported by the UN High Commission for Human Rights.
The State Women’s Commission immediately forwarded the complaint to the State Police Commissioner who ordered an investigation into the case. The accused was even arrested on January 3 under Section 354 (sexual harassment) and Section 506 (i) (threatening) of the IPC, only to be released on bail.
“On January 4, we went to the spot for investigation along with the police who promised to take action. We were even given police protection on January 2-3 but now the case has become very weak because the civil society is not raising any voice against this case,” said Newme.
In her statement to the Egmore Police station in Chennai, the victim wrote that she became a “soft target” because she is from the “ST community” and that she feels that she will be attacked again by the accused. Naturally, she also feels “mentally disturbed”. Strangely, the case has gone unreported in the media.
The Naga Students Union Chennai is said to have been approached for help but none has been received from them yet. “The girl who was molested does not even speak English…they communicate only through Hindi and Nagamese. She was so innocent that the owner of the restaurant took advantage of her. We want to send a strong message to parents back home that that they should not send their children without the consent of the students’ union in Chennai, and should know where their children are working and living. Such incidents have happened many times before,” requested Paul Newme.
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