Melwyn Pinto SJ
Mangaluru, Mar 17 : In a startling episode, reminiscent of the recent gang rape of a nun in Kolkata, a young nun was allegedly kidnapped and manhandled in a broad daylight by four men here on Monday March 16. However, as luck would have it, the nun in this case managed to escape from the clutches of the assailants, just in nick of time.
The nun doing her physiotherapy course in a city private hospital was allegedly waylaid by four men near Pumpwell as she alighted from the bus she was travelling. It is learnt that the men pushed her into an auto where they gagged and manhandled her. The courageous nun, though, used her presence of mind and when the auto reached Kadri-Nantoor area found it slowing down near a road hump and jumped out and ran for life. In the melee, though, she sustained minor injuries and lost her hand bag and watch.
She was later offered a helping hand by a passer-by who took her to the hospital.
It is alleged that when she went to register a complaint to Mangalore East (Kadri) police station, her complaint was not accepted. She was rather sent to Mangalore rural police station.
Prominent Christian religious and lay leaders have expressed displeasure at the slackness of the police in assessing the seriousness of the case as the FIR was registered only at 6 p.m. at Mangalore rural police station, though the incident took place at noon. The case has been booked under sections 392 (robbery) and 363 (kidnap) of IPC.
The nun is admitted in a city private hospital where her condition is reported to be stable, though she is still in a state of shock.