Prime Suspect in Assam Gang-Rape Case Junps into a Pond & Dies After Escaping Police Custody

One of the three prime suspects in the gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl in Assam's Nagaon district died on early Saturday morning after escaping police custody and drowning in a pond. Tafazul Islam, arrested on Friday, was being led by police in a scene re-creation when he broke free and jumped into the water.

On Thursday in Assam's Nagaon district, the girl was allegedly attacked and gang raped by three individuals while cycling home from tuition. She was found injured and unconscious by locals, who then alerted the police. The following morning, police took Tafazul Islam to the crime scene for a re-enactment of the events. According to police reports, Islam managed to flee and jumped into a nearby pond. Despite an immediate search operation, his body was recovered nearly two hours later.

So far, police have arrested one person, detained another, and are still searching for the third suspect. Assam Director General of Police GP Singh reviewed the investigation's progress and visited the crime scene on Friday, meeting with the victim’s family and senior police officials.

Reacting to the incident, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma highlighted the need for swift and decisive action against crimes targeting women.Sarma stated that public perception of government responsiveness is crucial and noted that the government must act aggressively to prevent such incidents.​