Kabul
Afghan media has reported growing anger and demands for capital punishment against an Indian tourist who raped a teenage Afghan girl, recorded the scene on video and threatened the girl with ‘serious consequences’ if the case was reported.
The Afghan girl named Narmeen Karzoun was sexually assaulted by the Indian tourist, Deep Desai, while another accomplice made the video recording of the crime in order to blackmail the girl for more criminal acts. Fearing for her life and honor, the girl did not report the crime to the police but the Indian partner who filmed the scene demanded a huge ransom which Desai failed to pay and the video was shared on social media which went viral in Afghanistan and India.
According to social media reports, the 15-year-old girl, Narmeen Karzoun, was sexually forced to cooperate last week but the incident came to light on Monday after one of the accused shared a video of the crime on a social media platform.
Afghan Superintendent of police, Mr. Rashid was quoted as saying that “The incident occurred on December 28 in Afghanistan’s capital city of Kabul. Police also confirmed that the accused, Deep Desai, threatened the girl with consequences if she informed anyone. Apparently, this is why the girl did not inform her family members about it.”
Afghan Police acted only after the video went viral and an FIR was filed and teams from four police stations were assigned to investigate the case. Afghan sources say that Indian diplomats became active to rescue the Indian in question and applied pressures on local police to downplay the case.
But police officials were quoted as saying that “We have detained one of the accused and our teams are raiding possible hideouts of the remaining accused. All the accused are adults. Efforts are also being made to prevent further circulation of the video online.”
Afghan police conceded that this was not the first time an Indian is involved in abusing an Afghan girl inside Afghanistan. One official commented, “It appears that Indians have begun exporting their rape factory into Afghanistan.”
A security official also recalled that some time back, the Indian Defence Attaché in Kabul Brigadier SK Narain was expelled from Afghanistan over charges of raping an Afghan girl. The Indian defence attaché had called the Afghan girl to his office following her request to gain a scholarship in India.
