Police in Guwahati have arrested eight individuals in connection with the gangrape of a girl inside a Durga temple during the Raas Mahotsav on November 17, according to Hindustan Times. The victim is yet to be identified, and the search for a ninth suspect is ongoing, HT quoted officials as saying on Saturday. The horrifying crime came to light nearly three weeks later when a video of the act surfaced on social media. According to police, the accused, aged between 18 and 23, filmed the assault and shared the footage online.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Padmanabh Baruah said, “Eight of the nine accused have been arrested. Efforts are underway to locate the victim, who was reportedly seen in a public place a week ago. We are also actively searching for the ninth accused.”
The investigation began when Dharmendra Kalita, officer-in-charge of Gorchuk Police Station, received the video on WhatsApp early Friday morning. Acting swiftly, police arrested three of the accused in Guwahati’s Boragaon area. During interrogation, they revealed the names of the other suspects.
Police teams conducted raids in Noonmati and Jalukbari, leading to the arrest of seven suspects by morning, with the eighth being apprehended by evening. The accused include Robin Das, Kuldeep Nath (23), Bijoy Rabha (22), Pinku Das (18), Gagan Das (21), Saurav Boro (20), Mrinal Rabha (19), and Dipankar Mukhiya (21).
“On the evening of November 17, the girl came to the temple with one of the accused to attend the Raas Mahotsav. The nine accused, all intoxicated, gangraped her and recorded the act on camera,” DCP Baruah revealed.
Police have urged people not to share the video. “Sharing this video is a criminal act, and we will take action against anyone found forwarding it,” DCP Baruah warned. Meanwhile, locals from the Boragaon area have criticized the authorities for failing to address rising incidents of antisocial behavior near the temple.
“The temple surroundings have become a hub for alcohol and drug consumption,” said a local woman. “Intoxicated youths often harass women, even elderly ones. We’ve reported these issues to the police several times, but no action was taken. If they had acted earlier, this tragedy might have been prevented.”
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