Brutally assaulted Khasis women suffer in stoic silence. Hollywood and Bollywood crime thrillers will drift aside before the most inhuman and barbaric sexual exploits of three Khasi women by a notorious criminal identified as Mona Mia and his associate.
The victims belong to a five-member Khasi family living in the remote and isolated uphill hamlet of West Maniknagar, 80 kms from here. Their main occupation is paan-jhum cultivation. The criminal lives at Ichskhowra, a short distance away.
Wemti Longdoh (40) mother of five children, Bohling Pehthmilong (22) with one baby and Bih Longdoh (21) were raped night long by Moina Mia and his unidentified accomplice inside deep jungle.
The women were neither kidnapped nor abducted. It was a novel way adopted by the criminal. Tony Khonglah, husband of Wenti, Refine Longdoh, brother of Behling, and Zenathana Rohdweng, brother of Bih, while on their way back home from the Kalinagar weekly market, 5 kms away from their hamlet, were whisked away at gun point by Moima and his goons to the nearby jungle. Their hands were tied by rope from behind and kept as hostage.
Before twilight melted into darkness, Zenathane was released with the message, and threat that unless Wenti, Bohling and Bih were sent for them, Tony and Refine would be killed.
The poor, illiterate and helpless tribals and their headman, Kernel Khongsoling, had no option than to oblige their animalized lust. As the three women stood before the criminals, Tony and Refine were set free. And then what physical and mental tortures these women went through could well be imagined. All this happened through the nights of September 3 and 4.
In shock, pain panic and shame, the hamlet and its inhabitants maintained stoic silence. The womenfolk were sent away secretly to a distant and safe refuge. Monia Mia understood that these Khasia in isolation could do nothing. After a week, he again dared to swoop down, now on the hamlet, at midnight, to quench his lust. As he broke open the wooden-fence , all the male inmates except the sick headman fled away. Kernel was caught, dragged and mercilessly beaten for sending away the women.
In the morning, he was taken to a public health centre and some local people helped him to file a FIR with police on September 11. He found it hard to conceal the ugly episode of the past week as among the victims was his virgin daughter Bih.
Describing all these to this scribe, Kernel broke down and asked who will protect us. Dishewelled and traumatised Bohling, Wenti and Bih could hardly speak. Manik Nagar tea estate is kind enough to provide them shelter.
Who is Monia Mias? A 40 year old
history sheeter with murders, rapes, dacoities and all imaginable crimes
said a police official of Ram Krishna Nagar Police Station. He rules the
roost and is beyond the reach of the police for he is most wanted during
election time. Every body in the area saw him campaigning for the ruling
party during the last Ratabari by-election, said Rohit Dey of Manik Nagar.
Sadly enough no organization has come to share the agonies of these helpless
people.