Barpeta man rapes 13-yr-old girl on way home after tuition; mob burns his house

SILCHAR:A 60-year-old man was thrashed and his house set on fire by a mob after a 13-year-old girl accused him of raping her in Assam’s Barpeta district. The man was later arrested on charges of abduction and rape, police said on Thursday.

Police said the incident occurred in the Nayapara area of Lower Assam when the girl was on her way home from tuition classes at about 5pm. The man allegedly spotted the girl passing by his locality, gagged her and forcibly took her home where he raped her.

The suspect, identified by the police as Alif Bhuiyan, a local shopkeeper, let her go after he was done.

Police said the girl went straight home and told her family about the sexual assault. As word spread through the neighbourhood, angry residents gathered near the suspect’s house and demanded action against the guilty.

“A young girl steps out of the house to pursue education, and she is abducted and raped. Is this the kind of society we want here?” asked one protester, demanding that the suspect be quickly tried and given the death sentence.

At some point, some people set the suspect’s house on fire and when he showed up, started beating him.

Police said the suspect sustained injuries in the incident and was rescued from the spot by a police team.

A case was registered for aggravated penetrative sexual assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and the Bharatiya Nyay Sanghita (BNS) and the suspect was arrested late on Wednesday.

Barpeta senior superintendent of police (SSP) Susanta Biswa Sarma said the girl was examined by doctors, provided medical care in accordance with established protocols, and that her statement will be recorded.

“The matter has been addressed properly and further investigation is underway, and all legal procedures are being followed,” Sarma said.

There were some attempts to resume the protests on Thursday after the arrests but the district administration authorities warned the protesters not to disrupt the law-and-order situation.

“Strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to disturb public order. The case is being handled as per the law and the citizens must rely on the judicial system,” a district official said.