Crime: Nganglam police has detained a 40-year old farmer for molesting and attempting to rape his five-year old stepdaughter on July 6.

The girl’s mother had caught him red-handed. The incident occurred around 2am in Dungphugoenpa village when the mother felt her husband getting off the bed.

In her statement to the police, she said, she saw her husband going to another room, where the daughter was sleeping with her 10-year old half sister. The half sister is the suspect’s youngest daughter, who had come home for the summer break. His daughter was unaware about the whole incident.

The mother informed police that when she followed her husband and quickly switched on the light, she saw her husband was trying to remove her pants and was molesting the child. She immediately stopped him and in the morning informed all neighbors about the incident.

Her husband threw her out of the house and the case was reported to the gewog and later to the police.
The child was immediately sent to Nganglam basic hospital unit (BHU) for medical checkup and the man detained for investigation.

The medical examination found no sign of penetration but observed a small tear on a skin below the hymen.
Police said the medical report proves that the girl was sexually molested and the suspect also confessed that he had attempted rape.

“The suspect said he was drunk and that he was not aware of what he was doing,” a police official said. “The suspect is believed to be mentally unsound according to the villagers.”

An attempt to rape is a fourth degree felony and imprisonment ranges from three years and above, which is non-compoundable.

The mother and the daughter are still in the BHU. The mother had also alleged the suspect of raping his own daughter before. But a medical examination ruled out the rape and the suspect also denied the allegation of rape his own daughter.

The suspect has three daughters from his late wife.

By Yangchen C Rinzin, Samdrupjongkhar

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