In a shocking incident in Assam’s Dibrugarh district, four youths have been arrested for allegedly kidnapping, gang-raping and killing a 17-year-old girl.
The four suspects were arrested on Monday morning, the police said, adding that the alleged incident took place on Sunday night in the Banipur Dhekeri Gaon neighbourhood of the district.
The arrested persons have been identified as Biswajit Bagti, Kishore Bawri, Rohit Rabidas and Lohit Deka, all from Dibrugarh town, aged between 17 and 21 years.
The police claimed that after receiving a complaint late on Sunday night, they took prompt action.
"We learnt that a girl's body was found hanging at a residence in the Banipur region. We registered a case after the girl's relatives later filed a complaint,” an officer said.
The girl, who was described as a minor by the police, reportedly left for Dibrugarh town on Sunday afternoon for some personal work but did not come back.
"The family members were looking for the girl, as her phone was also switched off. The girl may have known some of the boys, it is believed. She was intoxicated before being taken to the crime scene,” the police said.
The body was sent to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh for post-mortem.
"We have heard several accounts of the alleged incident from the locals. We shall know the exact cause of death after we get the post-mortem report,” the police said.
Meanwhile, a local person claimed that on Sunday, a group of boys were having a party at a house in Dhekeri Gaon village, smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol both inside and outside the house.
"We saw them having a noisy party. Later, the neighbours found a girl's hanging body inside the house after they had departed. While four youths have been arrested, more boys were partying on Sunday,” he said.
Shwetank Mishra, Superintendent of Police, said, “The matter is under investigation. We can not divulge more details at the moment.”
(IANS/SR)