Assam Police has apprehended 72-year-old Shukkur Ali Barabhuiya for raping a minor girl (13) in the state’s Hailakandi district.
Ali was arrested under the POCSO Act following case number 136/23 of Hailakandi Sadar police station. He is reported to have raped the minor child multiple times, when her parents were not at home. He would threaten to kill the girl if she dared to inform her parents.
According to the police, a medical examination of the girl confirmed sexual assault. Her statement has also been recorded.
Hailakandi district is part of Assam’s Barak valley, and is close to the Bangladesh border; it also borders the Christian-dominated state of Mizoram. As per census 2011, Hailakandi’s Muslim population was close to 32%. There have been several shocking rapes and other crimes reported from this district over the years.
Earlier this month, two minor Hindu schoolgirls were abducted and brutally gangraped by 3 Muslim men. One of the girl’s later died in hospital. While 2 of the rapists – Jabir Ahmed Barbhuiya (21) and Ansar Uddin Mazumdar (22) – have been arrested, the third accused Jubair Ahmed Talukdar (27) is still at large.
In March 2018, a 14-year-old janjatiya (ST) girl was raped and murdered by Jashim Uddin Borbhuyan in the same district.
