The police in central Assam’s Nagaon district have arrested eight people for assaulting and confining a Muslim man and a Hindu woman alleging that they were having an illicit relationship.
This is the third case of moral policing in Assam since April 8 when a Garo tribal woman was “taught a lesson” for riding pillion on a Muslim man’s motorcycle at Paikan in western Assam’s Goalpara district bordering Meghalaya. The police had arrested 12 tribal men for kicking and punching the duo.
On June 17, a similar incident happened in Goalpara district’s Rangjuli — this time involving a married Muslim man and a Muslim woman who was a divorcee. Police arrested six people for trying them at a kangaroo court, thrashing them in public and forcing them to get married two days later.
A statement from Assam police headquarters in Guwahati said villagers of Jumurmur assaulted local resident Devi Barua and Ubed Ullah of Tubuki village nearby and confined them in a structure near the woman’s house.
The villagers claimed that the two were in an illicit relationship and assaulted them about 9.30 p.m. on Saturday, a police spokesperson said on Monday.
“The police from Kathiatoli outpost rushed to the village and rescued the victims after receiving information at 3:50 am on Sunday. The two were taken to the hospital for treatment. The woman was released, but the man is still under observation though his condition is stable,” Shankar Brata Raimedhi, Nagaon superintendent of police, told The Hindu .
The police registered a case, conducted multiple raids and caught eight people associated with the assault and confinement. They were arrested after interrogation yielded evidence of their involvement in the crime, police said.
