North East Support Centre and Helpline condemn mob molestation in Guwahati

Imphal, July 12: North East Support Centre and Helpline condemned the mob molestation of 17 years old girl at Guwahati. Tarun Gogoi Government must act before Guwahati becomes rape metropolitan city of the region, a release of the Support Center said.

The release further mentioned that according to a source reaching to NE Helpline, the incident happened when a student of Class XI was returning on July 9; a mob of numbering around 20 attacked the girl and outraged her modesty. The girl continued to suffer for 30 minutes before Police came to the spot. The law enforcing agencies of Assam failed to arrest the culprits until the pressure mounted through media. If delay in taking action against the culprits will encourage the perpetrators to continue to commit such crimes in future.

The Guwahati city has witnessed another ugly street stripping off a tribal woman during protest procession on 24 November 2007. The local businessmen chased the protestors. They stripped off a woman protestors on Guwahati street and kicked on her belly.

North East Support Centre and Helpline express the deep concern about the safety of women in the state. According National Crime Records Bureau, the state of Assam has third crimes against women.
North East Support Centre & Helpline is combined initiative of various human rights activists, social workers, students, journalists, and lawyers seeking to prevent harassment and abuses meted out to women, North East People, and tribal communities of different states.

In the meantime, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi this afternoon formed the commission under Additional Chief Secretary Amili Chaudhary, official sources said.

Directing arrest of all the culprits, Gogoi ordered immediate disciplinary action against police officials found guilty of dereliction of duty over the incident.

Gogoi's decisions came hours after peasant leader Akhil Gogoi demanded imposition of President's Rule in Assam for 'worsening' law and order situation in the state.

Opposition BJP also took out a protest rally here today against the 'failure' of the state government on the law and order front.

Meanwhile, a fourth person was arrested in connection with the incident. The four were among the 16 persons identified in connection with the incident that occurred in front of a bar on Guwahati-Shillong Road on Monday night, which led to a public outcry after a video of the assault by a TV channel was uploaded on Youtube, the source said.