Tension erupted in Kokrajhar town in Assam after a Hindu woman was raped by a Muslim man on Saturday. The shocking incident occurred on Saturday morning, around 9:30 AM, in the Patharghat area under Kokrajhar Sadar Police Station. The victim, a mentally challenged young woman who wanders the streets and alleys without family support, was lured by the accused to a labour camp at an ongoing road construction site.
According to reports, the accused, identified as Rafiqul Islam, is from Chapar in Dhubri district and is employed at the road construction site in the area. On Saturday morning, he spotted the woman and lured her to the labour camp set up for the construction project. There, he committed the sexual assault on the woman.
The matter came to light after the victim narrated the incident to a relative, who alerted others. Locals then went to the camp with the woman, who identified the accused. The crowd then confronted and assaulted the accused, leading to a tense situation. Soon police arrived at the spot, calmed the situation, and arrested Rafiqul Islam. A case was also registered at Kokrajhar Police Station. The victim’s statement has been recorded, and medical and legal procedures are underway.
However, public outrage continued even after the arrest, and hundreds of local residents, including women, gathered outside the Kokrajhar Sadar Police Station. Protesters blocked the Kokrajhar-Bilasipara road, raised slogans demanding justice, and called for exemplary punishment for the accused. Some sections of the crowd even demanded that the perpetrator be handed over to them, heightening tension in the area.
The situation escalated further, leading to the call for the 12-hour bandh on Sunday (January 11), which began at 6 AM. Markets, shops, educational institutions, private offices, and public transport remained largely shut, with streets remaining deserted. Security forces were heavily deployed in sensitive areas, and Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, was imposed to maintain law and order.
On Sunday evening, Rafiqul Islam was shot in the leg by police during an encounter. Reportedly, the incident took place when the accused tried to flee from police custody. Visuals shared by the media show the injured accused being taken in an ambulance, with a bandage on his left knee. Two cops were also injured in the incident.
The injured accused was taken to RNB Civil Hospital in Kokrajhar after the incident. He was then referred to Kokrajhar Medical College and Hospital.
