A teenaged girl was molested, groped at and beaten up, all in full public view, by a mob in Guwahati, triggering widespread protests in the state.
The protestors hung up the posters of the culprits in city thoroughfares even as an embarrassed police department is now working overtime to hunt down those involved in the crime. So far, four persons have been arrested while at least eight others are still at large.
The 17-year-old girl, who is pursuing studies in fashion designing in the national capital, was attacked when she was returning home after celebrating the birthday of her friend, a teenaged girl, at a bar. The girl was subjected to assault and molestation for nearly half an hour before being rescued by some passers-by.
“At least twelve persons were involved in the incident. We have managed to identify 11 of them of which four have been arrested,” Director General of Police (DGP) JN Choudhury told DNA. He added that a charge sheet would be filed soon in connection with the case.
The kingpin of the mob, one Amarjyoti Kalita, is believed to have gone underground outside the state. Ironically, Kalita had fought crime against women in a TV programme where he played the role of a police officer.
The DGP was confident that the police would be able to arrest the remaining accused persons within a week.
Three young persons had accompanied the two girls on that fateful night. The trouble started after they picked up a quarrel in a drunken state.
“The birthday girl had lost her ATM card and couldn’t settle the bills. So, they were evicted by the bar employees. But soon, she picked up a quarrel with the young men who accompanied her and started beating them up. When the mob started building up, the four fled the place leaving behind the victim,” city senior superintendent of police (SSP) Apurba Jiban Barua told DNA.
Asked about the victim, he said the girl was fine. “She is fine though she is feeling shy now,” he said. The SSP attributed the incident to the city’s rapid growth. “It happens in transition,” he said.
The Assam State Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the case.
“We strongly condemn this heinous crime,” the Commission chairperson Meera Barooah said. A team of the National Commission for Women is scheduled to visit the state even as Congress president Sonia Gandhi has sought a report on the incident from the Pradesh Mahila Congress.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi admitted that the law and order situation in Guwahati is deteriorating . He instructed the administration and police to monitor the bars, clubs, discos and hotels and raid them as and when required.
