Assh00les................................. Maoists rape 25 women in Saptari KOL Report KATHMANDU, Aug 23 - A group of Maoists raped over two-dozen women at gunpoint, in a Dalit settlement at Jagatpur-4, Saptari district, last week. The rebels also threatened to "completely destroy" the hamlet if their crime was revealed. The incident came to light only on Monday. About two-dozen Maoist rebels who had come here five days ago raped females aged between 22 and 35 years in the village. The victims recounted their harrowing experience in front of a group of human rights activists and journalists who reached the village yesterday. "They (the Maoist rebels) first told us to prepare food," said one of the rape-victims,"After they had eaten, they forcibly carried us inside the house and perpetrated the heinous act in front of our family members." She was raped in the presence of her elderly in-laws. All the youth have left the village since a long time, due to increasing Maoist atrocities. Only women, children and the elderly remain in the village. There are about 25 dalit families in the village, which lies north of Koshi riverbank. Locals are terrified after the incident. "If they learn that we told you about the incident, they will come and kill us," said one of the victims, sobbing. After word spread about the ghastly crime, the Maoist leadership of the area came to the victims and "apologized". "They prostrated themselves at the victims' feet begging forgiveness and also pledged to take action against those involved," said the father-in-law of a victim. Locals said that Maoist rebels had carried out mass rapes on previous occasions but threats from Maoists had forced them to remain quiet about it. (snn)