Gang Rape Accused Jumps Into Pond To Escape Custody, Dies

Nagaon (Assam): Police have recovered the body of the main accused in the alleged gang rape of a minor girl in Assam’s Dhing district.

The main accused in the case, Tafazul Islam, allegedly escaped from police custody, jumped into a pond and died, police said on Saturday morning.

Swapnaneel Deka, Superintendent of Police, Nagaon district, told ANI over phone that on Friday, police arrested Tafazul Islam in connection with the case.

“When a police team took him to the incident spot last night for investigation, the main accused tried to flee and jumped into a pond located near the spot. Our police personnel launched a search operation and with the help of SDRF team, we recovered his body from the pond this morning,” he said.

The senior police official said operations are underway to arrest the other two accused.

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three people in the Dhing region on the evening of August 22 while she was returning home after private lessons.

The incident triggered massive protests in Dhing area, where locals and various organisations demanded strict action against the culprits.
Assam Director General of Police GP Singh on Friday visited the site and met the victim’s family members and also spoke to senior police officials.

Speaking on the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday said, “When an atrocity against women is committed, we have to act swiftly.”

Speaking to the media, Sarma said, “I would like to say only one thing. When there is an atrocity against women, we have to act quickly. But the public should see that the government is taking strict action. When people feel that the government is lax, they get angry. When such incidents happen, the government has to take very aggressive action. The Bengal government did not do that, so people got angry.”

He added that after the Lok Sabha elections this year, “we are seeing that a specific community of people are indulging in criminal activities.”

“The perpetrators of the Dhing incident involving a Hindu minor will be punished,” he added.

According to reports, locals found the girl in a semi-conscious state by the side of a road and immediately admitted her to the hospital.