Chirang sexual assault case: Accused arrested following second 24-hr ultimatum
Chirang, August 27: The prime suspect in the sexual assault of two minor girls in Chirang district’s Sidli village was arrested by the police on early Tuesday morning.
The accused, Jahiruddin Dewan, who was also alleged to be involved in human trafficking, was detained at New Bongaigaon Railway Station while travelling from Bihar by train.
Dewan, who was also the president of the Sidli’s Village Defence Party (VDP), is currently being interrogated at the local police station.
The allegations against Dewan include luring the minor girls under the pretence of offering employment outside the state.
The case also involves a human trafficking angle, as Dewan reportedly took the minors to an associate’s residence before local intervention led to their rescue and return to their families.
A formal complaint was lodged at the local police station on August 23, setting an initial 24-hour deadline for Dewan’s arrest.
Despite the police’s efforts, Dewan remained elusive, leading to the intensification of the manhunt and the subsequent community-driven pressure.
The arrest comes after intense pressure from local residents. Earlier on Monday, protests erupted in Sidli as the Koch-Rajbongshi community, including many women, took to the streets demanding Dewan’s immediate capture.
The demonstrators, who were frustrated with the perceived inaction of law enforcement, held placards and banners, urging the authorities to take swift and decisive action.
The situation escalated when the protesters issued a new 24-hour ultimatum to the police for Dewan's arrest.
Bikramjit Roy, a member of the Kamtapur Autonomous Council (KAC), voiced the community’s frustration, stating, “The police are not taking any meaningful action regarding this grave issue. We are giving a 24-hour deadline for the arrest of the accused. If the authorities fail to act, we will call for a bandh until the perpetrator is captured.”
This was the second 24-hour deadline given to the police, following their failure to apprehend Dewan within the initial deadline.