Guwahati: The prime accused in the suspected gangrape was arrested by the police on Wednesday.
Notably, a day after the incident happened two weeks ago, two more suspects were arrested by the police.
According to Bidyut Das Bodo, additional superintendent of police for the Hailakandi district, the police team located the 27-year-old suspect in the adjoining Karimganj district and began a covert operation on Tuesday night.
“We were able to capture him at night, and he was brought back to Hailakandi. He was presented before the court and was remanded to police custody,” he said.
The minor girl was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted on July 4 by three men, aged 22 to 27, before she passed away the following day at Silchar Medical College and Hospitals (SMCH).
Three of the victim’s neighbours were named in a FIR filed by the minor girl’s family members at the Mohanpur Police Post in the district, and a case was opened under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and section 302 (murder) 363 (kidnapping) 376D (gangrape) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The child was known to one of the accused people, according to family members and locals, and they offered her and another girl a ride in their car as the two were leaving private tuition lessons, the police said.
Before taking the victim to a forest location, the accused dropped off the second girl, who was also a juvenile.
Later, some local people rescued the victim from a forest area and took her to the home.
“She became ill after reaching home and was rushed to the hospital. However, she died the next day,” said Leena Doley, Superintendent of Police in Hailakandi district.
On July 6, police detained two of the accused individuals, but the main suspect fled away.
–IANS