Mahendranagar, April 30:

A soldier on the day of completion of his military training raped a 65-year-old woman yesterday. He freshly joined the RNA’s Chandidal battalion based in Kanchanpur’s royal Shuklafanta wildlife reserve. The soldier, following the passing out parade, has officially received the appointment letter today. Women in the village, soon after the passing out parade ceremony, staged protest demonstration at the battalion gate demanding action against the rapist.

The 19-year-old Dipendra Dhanuk of Mahendranagar Municipality, 16 Majhgaun, raped 65-year-old Bedana Chaudhary (name changed) yesterday afternoon. According to the victim, Dhanuk came to her house in Majhgaun at 4:00 pm. “He entered my house asking for drinking water and later raped me for one-and-a-half hours,” she said, “I could not shout for help as he raped me at knife-point.” Dhanuk was in Majhgaun to invite his relatives to the passing out ceremony.

Chaudhary fell unconscious after the incident and told her family members at night. The neighbours are demanding stern action against Dhanuk. Chaudhary has a husband, three sons, two daughters, daughter-in-law and granddaughters. Dhanuk has a wife and a three-year-old daughter. Secretary to the Women Rights Forum Kanchanpur, Bharati Singh, said stern action should be taken against Dhanuk. According to villagers, he is guilty of at least ten rapes before he joined the army. Earlier, he already served 15 days in prison for allegedly attempting a rape. There was no comment from the army officials regarding the incident. Human rights activists maintain he should be suspended and punished. According to an army official, Dhanuk was suspended today.