Death of 3 minors in a month rattles Meghalaya

GUWAHATI

The deaths of three children in less than a month have shaken Meghalaya and triggered demands for effective police, surveillance and revival of local defense organisations.

The chain of events began on September 14, when the body of a four-year-old girl was found face down in a water pool in the Nongrah area of ​​the state capital Shillong. Shock turned to anger a few days later after police detained a 13-year-old boy in connection with the girl’s death.

The boy allegedly made up a story about the girl’s disappearance, but later told police that the girl drowned when they both slipped and fell into a pool of stagnant water. However, the police are investigating the possibility that the girl was killed elsewhere and thrown into the pool.

On October 9, a seven-year-old boy was found dead under mysterious circumstances in the same area of ​​Shillong. In less than 24 hours, the body of a 13-year-old girl was found near a village in Ri-Bhoi district.

A day later, local police arrested a 22-year-old man on charges of raping and murdering the girl. “We will file a criminal complaint in this case after completing the legal formalities,” said Vivekanand Singh Rathore, Senior Superintendent of Police of the district.

Police also said the defendant will be listed in the National Sex Offender Database.

government slammed

Expressing deep concern over the death of minors, the Meghalaya State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has sought “urgent implementation” of the standard operating procedures model for tracing missing or abducted children to ensure timely and effective response to such incidents.

The commission called for a comprehensive investigation and emphasized that those responsible for the deaths of minors should be identified without delay and brought to justice.

The State government, led by the National People’s Party, ensured justice for the families of the victims. But Deputy Premier Prestone Tynsong, who is in charge of Home (Police), has faced criticism for blaming parents for the safety and security of children in the state.

“His statement is irresponsible, insensitive, shocking and unbecoming of his attitude,” said the Hynniewtrep Youth Council, a community-based organisation.

Another organisation, Jaintia Students’ Union, said the State government should take serious notice of the spate of child murders and revive local advocacy organizations to restore trust and improve community safety. These defense bodies were not allowed years ago.

Meghalaya’s Mahila Congress president Joplyn Scott Shylla criticized the State government for failing to provide effective policing even after installation of CCTV cameras and establishment of Integrated Command and Control Centre.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, the total crime rate against children in Meghalaya in 2023 was 37.1%. The number of such cases rose from 481 in 2021 to 512 in 2023 in the state, which is largely matrilineal and has 13.8 lakh children.