Within just 48 hours, three cases of rape and attempted rape of minors were reported from the various parts of Assam
Within just 48 hours, three cases of rape and attempted rape of minors were reported from the various parts of the state. The severity of the situation has deeply shaken the people. All the victims of the three cases were helpless girls in the age group of 9 to 16 years.
Significantly, all the accused, either arrested or absconding in the three incidents that took place in different parts of the state are from a particular religious minority community of the state.
These three recent heinous incidents in Dhing (Nagaon), Ulubari (Lakhimpur), and Buraighat (Bihali) have once again highlighted the grave situation developing in Assam. A teenage girl, aged 16, was gang rapped on Thursday evening in Dhing, Nagaon by three miscreants. The ill-fated girl was returning home on a bicycle from tuition when the horrific incident took place. The accused dumped the girl on the roadside after the heinous act and fled the scene. The Class 10 student, who was lying unconscious for about an hour, was later rescued by the police with the help of the local people.
The incident has sparked outrage not only in the area but across the entire state. The Dhing Anchalik Students’ Union called for Dhing Bandh in protest against the incident demanding a thorough probe into the crime and stringent punishment to the culprits. As of the time of writing, the police have arrested a suspect named Junaidul Islam in connection with the incident. Another person, identified as Tafazzul Islam, was also taken into custody. The third accused is believed to be absconding. The Chief Ministervof Assam, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma voiced deep concern about the incident and had directed the DGP of Assam Police to visit the spot and make arrangements for an effective investigation.
In Bihali area of Biswanath district, another incident of attempted rape of a minor girl took place with in the last 48 hours. In Buraighat area, some construction workers engaged in a nearby construction site, tried to kidnap a teenage girl who went out to urinate in the wee hours of the morning. Somehow the girl saved herself by screaming loudly. Later, police arrested three laborers named Jurush Hussain, Suraj Ali, Abdul Hussain in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, another shameful incident has taken place in Ulubari area of Lakhimpur. A muezzin attempted to rape a 9-year-old girl. Matab Ali, the muezzin appointed to deliver the azaan at the mosque in Ulubari and a suspect in the case, remains absconding.
It is worth noting that such heinous crimes are becoming increasingly common in areas with significant minority populations of Bangladesh origin. In his response to the Dhing incident, Chief Minister Dr. Sarma also told the media that there have been 23 such crimes in the state since the Lok Sabha elections.
In the recent past, two such disturbing incidents have alarmed the people of Assam. Last June, similar cases were reported from Majbat and Dhekiajuli in North Assam. A 16-year-old girl was gang-raped in Majbat in Udalguri District. On the other hand, a 15-year-old girl was raped in Dhekiajuli, in Sonitpur District. All the main accused in both the cases are in custody now. The suspects arrested in the Majbat case are Mushtaq Ahmed, Mohidul Islam, Hafizul Ali, Saddam Ali and Ehsan Ahmed. On the other hand, one Syedul Islam was arrested in connection with the Dhekiajuli incident.
These incidents illustrate that the growing criminal mindset within certain segments of the religious minority community of the state has become a serious threat to Assamese society.
Following the Dhing incident, numerous social media posts have emphasized the need for Assamese society to become aware of such elements. Notably, Moulana Badaruddin Ajmal, an Islamic religious leader and former MP, has also criticized the youth within his own Muslim community in the past.
A statement from former MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal highlights the criminal tendencies among the youth of the Miya Muslim community.
Few months earlier, at an election rally in Goalpara, he had said, “Muslims are Number one in murder, rape!” “Number one in going jail!” The Chief Minister’s statement today, indicating that crimes against women involving individuals from the particular minority community have risen since the Lok Sabha elections, reflects the same concern.
