Daijiworld News Network - Mangalore (GA)

Mangalore, Jan 16: It was not long ago that that the undivided district of Dakshina Kannada was considered safe for womenfolk and that women were highly respected here. But now the time has come to change the opinion.  In the past 15 days, four rape cases have been reported in the parts of Beltangady, Sullia etc.  Now added to this rapidly rising list of crime against women is the rape of a 9-year-old rag-picking girl belonging to Lambani community.

Lambani community is one of the few nomadic communities of the state.  They go from place to place in search of livelihood.  Even in the city there are a lot of Lambanis.  Most of them are daily wage-earners.  Some of them are into rag-picking.  One such girl was lured by a young man with a good job and then raped.

Geeta (name has been changed to protect the identity), daughter of Sita, was picking rags in Kannur area on Saturday January 14.  At that time, a young man who came to the place on a bike lured her with a better job.  He said that he would pay her Rs 1,000 for the housemaid's job in his house.  The innocent girl agreed and went along with him on his bike. 

He then drove the bike to a lonely place in the Moodushedde area and raped her before fleeing the place.  The girl lay in a miserable condition there.  It was after sometime that some passers-by noticed her and took her to her house at Kannur.  She was not in a state to relate as to what exactly had happened with her.  It was only after admitting her to the hospital that the heinous crime came to light.

The Mangalore rural police have registered a case in this regard.  The police reports also said that one Nagesh of Padil has been arrested in this case.  However, details are yet to be known.