Khetri on boil as villagers gherao police station, seek justice for slain 16-yr-old

Jorabat, Oct 14: Public fury spilled on to the streets of Khetri today as hundreds of villagers gheraoed the local police station, demanding the harshest punishment for those behind the gruesome killing of 16-year-old Asmita Sarkar of Gaon-Dimoria village. The protesters, including men, women, and students, carried placards and photographs of the victim, chanting slogans such as “Hang the murderer!” and “We want justice for Asmita!”

The crowd accused the police of delay in action and demanded that all suspects, including a local girl allegedly linked to the case, be immediately arrested. Despite repeated appeals from officers, the agitated residents refused to disperse for nearly an hour, vowing to continue their movement until the culprits were punished.

The protest came three days after Asmita, a Class XI student of Dimoria College, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her home on the evening of October 10. She was rushed to Sonapur Civil Hospital but was declared dead shortly after arrival.

In the FIR filed by Asmita’s family, Apoorva Mallik (17) of Morigaon district had allegedly strangled Asmita after she rejected his repeated advances. The Khetri Police have since registered a case (No. 92/2025) and arrested Apoorva along with another minor accomplice. While the main accused has been remanded to four days of police custody, the second has been sent to a juvenile home.

Police sources said a girl from the neighbourhood, who visited Asmita’s house around 7 pm on the day of the incident, has also been questioned. If her involvement is established, she too will face arrest, officials confirmed.

Speaking to reporters at the protest site, Asmita’s father, in tears, pleaded for justice: “My daughter was innocent. She had just passed her exams with good marks. I had dreams of making her successful, but everything is gone. I beg the administration to punish her killer with the harshest sentence so no parent suffers like us.”

The shocking murder has sent waves of grief and anger through the Dimoria region, with locals calling for a fast-track trial and exemplary punishment to ensure justice for Asmita.

Correspondent