Man accused in rape, murder of 2 minor girls in Assam shot at while trying to flee

Farizul Rehman, 22, is one of the three accused in the case charged with raping and murdering the two victims, aged 14 and 16. The other four accused are charged with conspiracy and concealment of evidence.

Published on: Jun 18, 2021, 24:30:20 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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One of the seven accused in the rape and murder case of two minor girls from the same family in Kokrajhar district of Assam, was injured when police fired at him while he was trying to escape from custody, officials said on Thursday.

The incident, which was made to look like a case of suicide, had attracted a lot of attention with chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the home portfolio, personally monitoring investigations. (ANI PHOTO.)

Farizul Rehman, 22, is one of the three accused in the case charged with raping and murdering the two victims, aged 14 and 16. The other four accused are charged with conspiracy, concealment of evidence etc.

According to police, the incident happened late on Wednesday night when Farizul was taken by a police team to search for a mobile phone which he had allegedly disposed following the crime.

Police say on reaching the spot, instead of a mobile supposed to be buried there, the accused took possession of a sharp weapon hidden at the spot and attacked policemen and tried to escape by cutting the rope he was tied with.

The police claim they fired two shots in retaliation and one of them hit Farizul’s leg. One policeman also sustained injuries in the incident.

“One of the accused tried to escape during a search operation near Bedlangmari, Salbari and police had to fire to prevent him from escaping. He is grievously injured and hospitalized,” Special DGP GP Singh tweeted on Thursday.

According to the police, the accused is currently admitted at the Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Medical College and Hospital in Barpeta district. His condition is stated to be stable.

The incident made headlines after bodies of the two victims were found hanging from a tree near their house in Kokrajhar district of Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) on Friday evening, hours after they went missing. The accused were arrested within three days of the incident.

The incident, which was made to look like a case of suicide, had attracted a lot of attention with chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who holds the home portfolio, personally monitoring investigations.

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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