Protests Erupt in Assam Over Alleged Rape and Attempted Murder Case
Massive Protests in Tinsukia District
Protesters burn tyres on the highway, demanding swift action in the case, on Saturday. (AT Photo)
Margherita, Aug. 8: A significant protest unfolded on Saturday as hundreds of individuals blocked National Highway-37 at Talap in Tinsukia district, Assam. They were demanding severe punishment for a man accused of raping and attempting to murder a specially-abled woman at the Khobong tea estate.
The demonstration was organized by the Gorkha Students' Association's Tinsukia district unit, with backing from the All Assam Students' Union (AASU), the Assam Tea Tribes Students' Association (ATTSA), local tea garden workers, and residents. Protesters burned tyres, shouted slogans, and caused traffic disruptions on the busy highway for several hours.
The blockade led to significant delays in vehicular movement as demonstrators called for prompt legal action. One protester stated, "We demand the strictest punishment for the accused. He allegedly raped the girl and then attempted to kill her. Tea workers witnessed the incident, alerted locals, and the police apprehended him. Such crimes deserve exemplary punishment to deter others from similar acts."
Law enforcement officials were present at the protest site to ensure order while trying to convince the demonstrators to end the blockade.
Another protester expressed, "Papu Ahmed brutally raped the girl. Such a person does not deserve to live in society. We demand an encounter with the accused, the demolition of his house, and the eviction of his family from the area."
The protesters insisted that the case should be expedited and that the accused should receive the harshest punishment allowed by law.
Local residents reported that the incident occurred on Friday at the Khobong tea estate, where the accused, identified as Papu Ahmed, allegedly stripped the woman, assaulted her in the tea garden, and attempted to kill her before fleeing the scene.
Tea garden workers noticed the victim, alerted nearby residents, and contacted the police. An enraged crowd later surrounded the accused's home until police intervened.
Ahmed was arrested and taken into custody before being transferred to Doomdooma Police Station.