Imphal, July 2: A 12-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her uncle in Imphal West last night amid simmering anger over the alleged rape of a girl and molestation of another woman after being stripped and photographed by IRB jawans.

Police said Irom Bobo Singh, 39, allegedly raped the girl, who is the daughter of his wife, Subadani Devi’s sister, at his house at Thaoroijam village in Imphal West.

Local residents caught Bobo this morning and handed him over to Patsoi police station.

The victim underwent medical examination at the forensic department of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences here today.

The police said the girl was staying at the house of her aunt for the last 10 days or so.

Subadani said the girl was staying in her house as her mother was working at a brickfield. She also said she was not at home when the incident took place.

“My husband admitted to committing the crime,” she said.

The incident came to light after some meira paibis (women activists), who were out on a night vigil, found the girl tottering out of the house holding a lamp.

She told them about the assault.

The incident took place during a 24-hour general strike called throughout Manipur by a joint action committee of Yairipok in Thoubal district where a girl was raped by on June 19.

The strike ended at midnight.

The assault also came close on the heels of the alleged molestation of a girl by four India Reserve Battalion personnel in Churachandpur district.

The jawans caught the girl and her boyfriend, who were visiting the Khuga dam area of Churchandpur district on June 25.

They stripped the couple, molested the girl, took their nude pictures and uploaded the clippings on a social network site.

The four IRB jawans were arrested and suspended.

Women Action for Development, an NGO working for women and child issues, reiterated its serious concern over the increasing crimes against women.

Sobita Mangsatabam, secretary of the NGO, said there were 27 cases of rape, four cases of murder after rape and many cases of molestation last year. She said such crimes were rising this year too.

The NGO scathingly criticised all the 60 MLAs for not responding to the menace.