SHILLONG: The East Khasi Hills District Police have assured the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) that the investigation into the alleged molestation of a 15-year-old girl by a male nurse at NEIGRIHMS is being treated with utmost seriousness.
Police have formally committed to filing a comprehensive chargesheet under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act within 60 days, with an initial goal to advance key proceedings in the next two weeks.
This assurance came after detailed discussions between Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem and a KSU Central Executive Committee delegation led by General Secretary Rueben Anderson Naijer.
The KSU pressed for clarification regarding initial delays, noting that the victim’s family had filed an FIR as early as July 4, but no visible action occurred until KSU leaders intervened with NEIGRIHMS authorities on July 6, which finally spurred police action.
SP Syiem explained that delays stemmed from the Mawdiangdiang Outpost lacking jurisdiction to independently process POCSO cases, resulting in procedural setbacks. He confirmed that the district police have since taken charge, formally booked the accused under relevant POCSO sections, and designated the investigation as a “special report case” for heightened supervisory scrutiny.
The SP detailed that the accused has been officially notified, and the victim’s statement will be recorded in court imminently. Because the alleged offense carries a penalty under seven years’ imprisonment, police are legally mandated to issue a notice under Section 35 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) before further custodial steps.
The final conclusions will be drawn strictly on the compiled evidence. The incident has triggered broader demands from the KSU.
General Secretary Naijer stated the union will now oppose the appointment of male nurses unless a balanced 20:20 male-to-female staffing ratio is established, as practiced in other states. The KSU also expressed resentment over reports that some NEIGRIHMS staff, specifically nurses from Rajasthan, had shown solidarity with the accused.
The union urged authorities to take legal action against anyone attempting to shield the nurse and demanded his immediate termination to ensure an unhindered investigation.
Parallel to the criminal case, police will submit an official report on the incident to NEIGRIHMS authorities. While any administrative or disciplinary action remains within NEIGRIHMS’s internal purview, SP Syiem reiterated that the police investigation will remain objective, fair, and unrelenting in pursuit of justice.
(4FrontMedia news)
