Prime Accused In Assam Teen Rape Case Escapes Police Custody, Jumps Into Pond; Dies

The prime accused in the rape of a minor girl allegedly escaped from police custody, jumped into a pond and died on Saturday morning at Dhing in Assam's Nagaon district, an official said.

Police said the accused, who was arrested on Friday, was taken to the location where the crime was allegedly committed for a re-creation of the crime scene around 3.30 am.

Photo Credit: PTI

"The accused escaped from police custody and jumped into the pond. A search operation was launched immediately and his body was recovered after nearly two hours," police added.

The 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three persons who came in a motorcycle and surrounded her while she was returning home from tuition on her bicycle at Dhing on Thursday evening.

She was left injured and unconscious on the roadside near a pond, before being rescued by locals who informed police.

Police arrested one person and detained another while search was on to nab the third. Director General of Police G P Singh had reviewed the progress of the investigations on Friday.

Villagers refuse accused's burial

The villagers of Borbheti, the family home of the accused, have taken a decision not to participate in his funeral prayers and not allow his burial in the village graveyard.

The villagers held a meeting on Saturday morning and took three decisions regarding the crime committed by the youth.

''We have decided not to allow his burial in the village graveyard, not participate in his 'janaza' (burial prayers) and social boycott of his family'', a village elder Md Shahjahan Ali Choudhury told PTI.

''The village youth's crime has shamed us and we cannot allow his burial in the community graveyard'', he added.

Meanwhile, a march was also taken out from the village mosque to protest against the incident.