Villagers in Assam’s Nagaon to boycott last rites of gang-rape accused

Guwahati, Aug 24 (IANS) The villagers in Assam’s Nagaon district have decided to boycott the last rites of the gang-rape accused who died on Saturday while trying to flee from police custody.The accused identified as Tafiqul alias Tafazzul Islam was arrested on charges of raping a 14-year-old girl while she was returning home after taking tuition in the Dhing locality of Nagaon district.Police took Islam, a prime accused in the case, to the crime scene near a pond in Dhing locality where the alleged gangrape happened.According to police, the accused was taken to the spot to recreate the crime scene when he tried to flee and fell into a pond. Islam was handcuffed and he drowned in the pond.Meanwhile, the villagers of Borbheti village in the Dhing locality, where the accused used to live, told the media persons, “We have decided to boycott the last rites of the rape accused. It was a heinous crime and we do not want this to happen to any girl. Nobody in the village will take part in the last rite of the accused and we believe that he has got his punishment by God.”The villagers also claimed that the other two accused persons also live in the nearby areas of the village and they should be immediately arrested.“The locals of this village have taken a pledge that we should not spare any person involved in rape, murder, drug peddling, etc. Therefore, the villagers will boycott the last rites of the criminals in the coming days also,” one of the residents of Borbheti village told reporters.On the other hand, Swapnaneel Deka, Superintendent of Police in Nagaon district said, “The accused was brought to the crime scene following questioning. However, in his hurry to flee, he stumbled into a pond that was overflowing with water. After receiving notification, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) conducted a search and found the body.”“A constable who was holding the rope that was fastened to the accused’s handcuffs was hurt. In addition to searching for two more suspects in the case, we are looking into the occurrence,” Deka stated.To recall, the minor girl was gang-raped by three persons on Thursday night while returning home from a tuition centre in Dhing area in the Nagaon district. She was on a bicycle when a group of three men attacked her and gang-raped the girl.The onlookers discovered the girl in a semi-naked state lying beside a pond in the area. They took her to a nearby hospital and informed the police.According to police, the molesters left the girl after committing the crime and she was lying semi-conscious for more than an hour before being rescued by the locals.Following the incident, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma warned of stern action against the culprits involved in the heinous crime.–IANStdr/uk