Police to re-arrest Mizo girl attackers

Guwahati, Jan. 4 : Police are initiating action against the accused in the December 28 Mizo girl assault case by clubbing the two FIRs lodged by two different parties.

The police today said they have to club the two FIRs lodged separately by the caretaker of the guesthouse where the girl had put up, and women’s organisations, to initiate action against the accused.

“The second FIR, lodged by the women’s organisations, was registered under non-bailable sections and we are looking for the three persons we arrested earlier, as they are absconding. Now we will club both FIRs to initiate further action,” said a police officer probing the case.

The 23-year-old girl from Mizoram, who was in the city to attend a wedding, was assaulted when she knocked on the door of one of the accused at Nabagiri under Chandmari police station for directions, after apparently losing her way while returning to the guesthouse.

But instead of helping her, the woman, along with two other women and an unidentified man, hit the girl, accusing her of being inebriated, sources said.

The three women — Juri Das (the BJP office-bearer, since suspended, who also runs a city-based NGO), Monimala Das and Mini Das — were arrested on December 29 based on the caretaker’s FIR. They were, however, released on bail the same day.

This angered local activists, who lodged a fresh FIR on December 31 demanding re-arrest of the three women, who were seen beating up the Mizo girl and snatching her mobile and purse, in video footage of a local TV channel.

“Three days have passed since we lodged the fresh FIR, but no arrests have been made so far. We suspect the police’s role and think they are deliberately delaying arrests,” said writer and social activist Maini Mahanta. “If strong action is not taken against those involved, we will launch a public protest and if necessary, will sit on a dharna,” she added.

Apart from Mahanta, those who signed the FIR included Manisha Behl and Anurita Hazarika of North East Network (NEN), Sumitra Hazarika of Nirjatan Birodhi Aikya Mancha, social activist Akhil Gogoi and few other city residents.