Shillong:
Four persons including a former militant were arrested and a minor detained from Meghalaya's West Garo Hills district in a moral policing case in which 12 young women, including a pregnant one, were detained and tortured for a week by members of an NGO, police said today.
The arrested included Sapon Marak, a former cadre of the Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC), Kennedy Marak. The two were live-in-partners of NGO activists Jaynie N Sangma and Babiana M Sangma, who were arrested on Friday.
While Sapon and Kennedy were arrested during the day, Balsang S Marak, Pohit Marak and Jaynie's 15-year-old son were taken into custody last night from Tura, the headquarter of West Garo Hills district.
The total number of arrests now stands at 10.
The arrested persons allegedly detained 12 young women, aged between 18 and 24, illegally at Jaynie's rented house claiming they were victims of sex trade. They were rescued by local people on Thursday evening and handed over to the police.
West Garo Hills SP Mukesh Singh said that the former militant and his aide confessed to have assisted the five, including Jaynie and Babiana, who were arrested on Friday and currently under judicial custody.
They also confessed that the girls were beaten up with bamboo sticks, the SP said, adding they bore bruise marks all over their bodies, some of which were severe in nature.
The state government yesterday set up a high level inquiry committee headed by Social Welfare department commissioner and secretary M H K Marak.
The committee was given 30 days to submit its report.
Besides this, Meghalaya State Commission for Women chairperson Theilin Phanbuh said that the Vice-Chairperson Gamchi Marak and another member, Angela R. Ingty, would conduct a holistic investigation into the incident.
West Garo Hills deputy commissioner Pravin Bakshi had also ordered a magisterial inquiry.