Assam: 65-year-old cleric arrested for rape and murder of 9-yr-old girl

Assan Police said victim’s post mortem has revealed that there was sexual assault and [the] cause of death was strangulation.

Published on: Jun 27, 2021, 16:14:06 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Assam Police on Saturday arrested a 65-year-old cleric accused of raping and murdering a 9-year-old girl on June 20 from Morigaon district. The arrest comes after chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s visit to the victim’s family on Friday, when he directed the police to speed up investigations.

The accused was arrested on Saturday and the police were interrogating him . (Representative Photo)

“The accused was arrested on Saturday night and will be produced in court later on Sunday. We are in the process of interrogating him, but he has not confessed [his] involvement yet,” said Aparna N, superintendent of police (SP), Morigaon.

The police officer added that the victim’s post-mortem confirmed sexual assault.

“Report of the victim’s post mortem has revealed that there was sexual assault and [the] cause of death was strangulation. We have sent her viscera samples for forensic test and its report is awaited,” she added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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