Assam shocker: 12-yr-old gang-raped, then hanged by seven juveniles

Amidst debates and unrest in the country regarding the hanging of the juvenile accused in Nirbhaya's case; another shocking incident has come to fore in Biswanath district of Assam. The difference between the two cases is that this time all the alleged rapists were 'juveniles'.

The Gohpur police in Assam's Biswanath district apprehended seven juvenile boys after they were charged with raping and then killing a minor girl.

Police sources said that all the seven accused were nabbed from different places of Gohpur.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) of Biswanath district Sourav Jyoti Saikia has confirmed that the seven accused have been arrested and all are juveniles.

Meanwhile, a large number of people gathered in front of the Gohpur police station and demanded that the boys be handed over to the public.

The tragic incident took place in Sakala village under Gohpur police station.

On Friday evening; the victim, who was 12 years old, was reported missing. Her body was retrieved on Saturday from a nearby forest. The victim and all the accused are from the same area.

Local sources said that the accused laid a trap by inviting the girl for a party, which was supposedly organized after the end of their HSLC Examination. But instead took her at the backside of the house where they allegedly gang-raped her. The accused later tried to make the case loo like a suicide by hanging her from a tree.

The victim's uncle while talking to journalists stated that when she did not return home till late on Friday; the family members, along with the locals, carried out a search that went futile.

He added that on the pretext of suspicion; they sniffed the hands of two boys and conducted a search for them the next morning. During the search, they were spotted in the forest nearby but fled the scene as soon as they saw the locals.

On this the police were informed and after searching the jungle; the girl's body was found hanging from a tree. He demanded a magisterial probe into the incident alleging that she was raped by the seven boys.

Police sources added that the body has been sent for autopsy and reports are awaited. Sub Divisional Police Officer Tilak Das, however, stated that nothing could be commented on the incident as the rape has not been established and reports are awaited.

A case has been registered based on a complaint lodged by the girl's father. All seven boys have been taken into custody and interrogated. They will be produced in the Court.

Reports state that all the accused are aged below 18 years and appeared in the High School Leaving Certificate Examinations 2020 conducted by the Board of Secondary Education Assam (SEBA).