Assam: How a WhatsApp tip led to solving 13-year-old's rape and murder case

Days after a case of alleged sexual assault and murder of a 13-year-old girl in the Darrang district of Assam, a WhatsApp message from a local journalist to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma led to an investigation into the case. The victim girl, who was working as a domestic help, was found dead in the house of her employer (an SSB jawan) in June this year.

"A local journalist from that area has texted me on WhatsApp with a lead on this case and the allegations of the family," NDTV quoted Sarma as saying. CID investigation was called to figure out whether there was a cover-up by the top police officials.

Assam CID has filed a chargesheet against the main accused, an SSB jawan for an attempt to rape and murder. Besides him, several other government employees, the then superintendent of police, an additional SP, the officer in charge of the police station concerned and three doctors were already arrested in the case.

Sarma, who also holds the home portfolio, said that this case was very significant in the history of Assam Police as a fresh probe was started as per his instruction more than a month after the victim's last rites were performed.

CM Sarma said that a magistrate was arrested for "compromising his responsibility" in the case. The chief minister has appreciated the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for conducting the investigation in a highly professional and scientific manner.

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"The CID has already arrested the SP, Additional SP (of the district), the OC of Dhula police station and three doctors who had conducted the first post-mortem examination," he said on Friday.

Additional DGP (CID) A Y V Krishna said that the arrested government officials did not follow the norms and gave false reports to close the case as an incident of suicide. The CID, which formed a special investigation team (SIT) to probe into the case, had on Thursday stated that Ashirvad Hazarika, the local magistrate, was absconding.

The chief minister lamented that the probe exposed a nexus involving the then SP, ASP, OC, magistrate and government doctors.
On Thursday, the suspended SP Raj Mohan Ray was arrested for allegedly taking Rs 2 lakh as a bribe to dilute the case, CID had said.

Ray had received the money through the then Officer-in-Charge of Dhula police station Utpal Borah who was arrested by the CID on October 31. The rape and murder case led to outrage in the state. The chief minister visited the girl's family on August 12 following their allegations that the police displayed extreme dereliction of duty in collecting evidence.

The additional DGP (CID) told reporters that a detailed probe and evidence have established the accused men's offences of molestation, murder, destruction of evidence and attempt to rape under several sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

(With inputs from PTI)