A 16-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in a gruesome attack inside her home in Assam’s Hailakandi district, a crime that has sparked outrage and protests across Assam’s Barak Valley. Five people, including a minor, have been arrested in connection with the case, with police saying preliminary investigation points to a possible love triangle as the motive behind the killing.
The victim was found dead at her house in the Aloicherra area under Katlichera police station on Saturday night after her family returned from a nearby feast. Police said the post-mortem examination confirmed that she was raped before she was murdered.
On Wednesday, Hailakandi Police arrested two more accused, identified as Monoj Das alias Rajdeep Das (23) and Siraj Das (18), taking the total number of arrests in the case to five. They were produced before a district court later in the day.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amitab Sinha said three teenagers, including a 17-year-old, had already been arrested on Monday and remanded to six days of police custody.
“We arrested three teenagers, including a minor, on Monday. On Wednesday morning, we arrested two more,” Sinha told HT.
According to the SSP, investigators believe the victim was allegedly involved in romantic relationships with two of the accused, and this may have been the trigger for the murder.
“They claimed that the girl was having an affair with two of them at the same time and this could be the primary motive behind the murder,” Sinha said.
What happened on the night of the crime?
The incident took place in the Aloicherra area under Katlichera police station at around 11 pm on Saturday. According to the victim’s family, they had gone to attend a feast at a nearby relative’s house.
The victim’s mother said her daughter had also attended the gathering but left early after an argument with a cousin.
“She was there at the feast too, but after an argument with a cousin, she left for home at around 10.30 pm. We thought we’d bring some food for her later, but when we reached home around an hour later, it was a horrible scene,” she said.
The family found the teenager lying dead inside the house.
The victim’s mother said her body was almost unrecognisable.
“It was horrible; how can a human treat another human, a little girl, in such a brutal manner,” she said, demanding capital punishment for the accused.
The victim’s sister alleged that the attackers brutally mutilated the body after the assault.
“Her face was smashed, her head was bludgeoned with a heavy object, and some rod-like object was inserted into her private parts,” she alleged, demanding the harshest punishment for those responsible.
Victim allegedly lured to meeting
According to police, the victim had been in contact with one of the accused before the incident and had allegedly planned to meet him at her house while other family members were away.
“The prime accused was well aware about the victim’s house, where to go and when to, and the girl was sharing all the updates with him,” investigating officers said.
Police said the accused were familiar with the victim and knew when the house would be vacant. Investigators are examining mobile phones and digital evidence to establish the sequence of events and the role of each accused.
Post-mortem confirmed rape
An official statement issued by Hailakandi Police said the district forensic science unit examined the crime scene under the supervision of an executive magistrate, while the post-mortem examination was conducted by a team of doctors at Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH). The examination was videographed.
“The post-mortem examination suggested that the victim was raped. The Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) team also visited the site and collected evidence on the same day,” the statement said.
Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), to conduct a detailed probe into the case.
More charges may be added
All five accused have been booked under Section 65(1) (rape of a girl under the age of 16) and Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, which deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
Sinha said more sections could be invoked as the investigation progresses.
“The victim was raped before being murdered, and it involved five men. However, we are yet to impose sections relating to gang rape because the investigation is still at a preliminary stage,” he said.
Police said forensic evidence, mobile phone records and witness statements are being analysed as part of the investigation.
Case sparks protests
The incident sparked massive protests in Hailakandi and other parts of Assam’s Barak Valley. Residents blocked National Highway-6, the key road linking Assam and Mizoram, demanding exemplary punishment for the accused. Candlelight marches and social media campaigns seeking justice for the victim were also organised in several parts of the region.
The victim’s family has demanded capital punishment for those found guilty and urged the authorities to ensure that the case is heard in a fast-track court.
Police have appealed to the public and social media users not to circulate sensitive information related to the case, saying it could hamper the ongoing investigation.
