In a case that has stirred the Tripura tribal community, a Reang chieftain, recognised by the state government as the Samaj Adhipati of the Reang community through its parent organisation Kaskau urged the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to intervene following the alleged gang rape of a 22-year-old Reang woman, reportedly involving two state government officials. The letter addressed to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the Director General of Police (DGP) of Tripura was sent on October 14, 2024.
They noted in the letter that the accused were Dr Dayasish Chakma, son of Ranjan Bikash Chakma from Agartala, and Rajendra Debbarma, son of the late Lakhi Debbarma from Khowai. They said while Rajendra Debbarma, a driver in the Fire Department, was arrested immediately, Dr Chakma, who serves as the District TB Officer in the Tripura Health Department, remains on the loose more than a month after the FIR was registered on September 19, 2024.
Kaskau’s Chief cited economic disparity and perceived bias against the tribal woman as contributing factors to delays in the case’s progress. He suggested that the victim’s poverty and social standing had led to dismissive treatment by authorities, which, they argued, resulted in both a delay in registering the FIR and the slow arrest of the alleged accused.
Khanaram Reang from Kaskau, the Bru Apex Body that wrote to NHRC told EastMojo, “We are not the sole authority to find out whether the fact is true or not. We have received an application from the victim, this application is available with us, on the basis of her application we have appealed to the Human Rights Commission to intervene in the matter and find out whether it is true or not.”
“The rapist is a doctor, he is world established person he can offer a lot of money then he can pay a lot of money to the victim to tell the victim to say false in front of the judge but it is a fact, there is proof of medical report,” he added.
EastMojo has obtained a copy of an FIR application filed on August 14, 2024, at Vanghmun Police Station in Kanchanpur, North Tripura. The application, submitted by the complainant, names Rajendra Debbarma (Accused No. 1) and Dr Dayasish Chakma (Accused No. 2) as the primary accused in a case involving alleged rape and criminal conspiracy.
According to the FIR, the complainant alleges that she met Debbarma at the Kanchanpur SDM office a year ago, where he obtained her contact number and initiated daily conversations, expressing romantic interest.
Their relationship allegedly continued for eight months, during which Debbarma promised marriage and maintained a sexual relationship under the pretence of treating her as his “legal wife.”
Approximately nine months into their relationship, Debbarma reportedly persuaded the complainant to accompany him to his residence in Khowai. During the journey, he suggested they visit a farmhouse near SK Para railway station, where Accused No. 2, Chakma, was present.
The complaint alleges that both men began drinking, and Chakma attempted to force alcohol on her before sexually assaulting her, despite her protests. Debbarma was reportedly incapacitated due to intoxication during this incident, and the complainant later informed him about the assault. However, Debbarma allegedly dismissed her claims and prevented her from returning home.
The complaint further writes that the complainant later identified Accused No. 2 as Dr Dayasish Chakma, a District TB Officer under the Health & Family Welfare Department, after encountering him at Ambassa Hospital.
The complainant alleges that Chakma subsequently threatened her with death should she disclose the incident to anyone.
On April 21, 2024, Debbarma purportedly reached out again, expressing readiness for marriage and arranging transportation to Kanchanpur. However, during the journey, both accused allegedly forced the complainant out of the vehicle at a secluded location and subjected her to sexual assault.
The complainant states that the accused left her in an unconscious state, and upon regaining consciousness, she sought help from a local community leader.
Following her attempts to contact Debbarma and inquire about his motives, she learned that he had been transferred from his position at the Kanchanpur Fire Service office and was evading her. She asserts that she has faced delays in filing the FIR due to a lack of financial resources and fear of retaliation from the accused, who reportedly holds considerable influence.
The FIR has since been forwarded to the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate’s Court in Kanchanpur.
Resistance from authorities and court’s intervention
According to the letter to the NHRC, the victim initially approached Vangmun Police Station to file a complaint. However, her request to register an FIR was allegedly denied by the officer-in-charge. She then appealed to the Superintendent of Police, North Tripura, but again her complaint went unheard.
The victim then sought judicial intervention, filing a petition with the Sub-Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) in Kanchanpur, North Tripura (Case No. CR-07 of 2024). On August 27, 2024, after hearing the matter, the SDJM directed the Officer-in-Charge of Vangmun Police Station to register the case and conduct a thorough investigation under Section 156(3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). As a result, the FIR was finally registered on September 19, 2024, as VGM PS Case No. 2024 VGM 005 under Sections 120(B), 493, 417, 376(g), 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The letter emphasised the difference in socio-economic status between the victim and the accused. It described the victim as belonging to a poor family that survives “hand-to-mouth,” while the accused are “well-educated and holders of high government posts.” In the letter, the chieftain emphasises that the police must act fairly and arrest both accused individuals, without allowing the influence of status or power to delay justice.
Conflicting Claims from the Police
Speaking to EastMojo, Officer-in-Charge (OC) Buddha Debbarma of Vangmun Police Station provided a contrasting version of events. He acknowledged that Rajendra Debbarma had been arrested based on the allegations that he raped the victim under the pretext of marriage.
However, the officer claimed there were significant inconsistencies between the victim’s initial allegations and the findings of the investigation. OC Debbarma stated that the victim was allegedly involved in a love affair with one of the accused and that the charges stemmed from a broken promise of marriage.
He also noted that, in her statement before the magistrate, the victim reportedly claimed that Dr Chakma was not involved in the incident, contradicting her original complaint.
Also Read: Border checkpoint controversy: How politics & security ‘clashed’ in Mizoram
You just read a story that took days to report. Help us keep our reporters on the ground in the Northeast.
Ad-free reading, support and keep important stories alive
Support once (any amount)
Scan to pay via UPI