Recent horrific crimes against women in Assam, including gang rapes and assaults, reveal deep safety concerns. Despite official claims of progress, real protection for girls remains a grave question
Assam has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons, with a string of horrific crimes against girls and young women raising questions about their safety. From merely surviving as a girl child, trying to get a basic education, and being treated as mere objects for marriage and child-rearing, to facing dangers when going out alone, the challenges faced by women and girls in Assam are many and varied.
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On August 22, a minor girl was allegedly gangraped while returning home from her tuition classes in Dhing, Nagaon. The case is one of many that have recently come to light, highlighting the dangers faced by girls in the state.
In another shocking incident on August 9, a 15-year-old girl from Boko town, who had traveled to Guwahati in search of work, was raped by a Rapido driver before being abandoned at the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT). The incident reportedly took place near Kamakhya railway station.
According to an official from the Jalukbari police station, "The young woman had first reported the incident to Garchuk police station, before the case was transferred to Jalukbari on August 10." He further informed GPlus, "The accused has been identified as Fakir Chand Akand from Salmara and was arrested on August 11."
In another disturbing case, on July 27, a 57-year-old man was arrested for allegedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl in Kahilipara, Guwahati. The accused, Aftar Ali, also known as Silchariya, was taken into custody by the Dispur Police after the incident in Journalist Colony.
The growing number of such cases has raised concerns among the residents of Guwahati regarding the safety of women in the city. GPlus conducted a survey to know public opinion on this issue.
Talking to GPlus, Gautam Bharadwaj, a resident of Guwahati said, "It is safe, but it depends on oneself. My mother and sister can protect themselves. I, being a son, would want to protect my family. But the issue with today’s women is their dress-up. Some may look with good intention while some may not. But if a guy stares with ill intention towards a woman, it’s bad, and it’s good if he stares with good intention. So, in this case, both men and women must look after themselves."
A student from B Barooah College voiced a different perspective, "Right now, women are not safe. For instance, I heard that a girl was being harassed by 3-4 boys. Before the cops came to the place, the guys warned her by saying, 'we will watch you.' With the kind of cases we see everywhere, I don’t think women are safe anymore."
Another student from Handique Girls College talking to GPlus said, "I don’t feel safe most of the time. I see many men staring at us, particularly girls, and it makes us feel very uncomfortable. They keep staring at us no matter what we are wearing. Even if we are on a bus or just standing anywhere, men will keep staring. Even from a distance, they will stare in a way that is unexplainable. Girls mostly feel safe when they are at home."
One more student from the same institution stated, "I used to feel safe, but now cases are increasing, so I don’t feel safe anymore. I think this world is not safe for women anymore. You can see cases are increasing rapidly. Not just the recent Kolkata case, there are so many cases elsewhere. This gives anxiety to women. It’s not only about the woman who is the victim, but we women share the pain in general. Boys won’t understand this; they will keep staring and will keep enjoying. But they don’t care how we feel, and we don’t feel good."
However, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, while addressing the media recently, claimed, "Following the Lok Sabha elections, 22 such incidents occurred in Assam, and today’s incident makes it 23. Some special people are associated with these acts. After the elections, these people have been encouraged; therefore, such incidents have spiked up. We will take the toughest possible actions. I have also sent the Assam DGP and cabinet minister Pijush Hazarika to review the situation in Dhing."
The recent cases are not isolated incidents. On July 19, a private security guard was apprehended for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl, with the crime reportedly occurring a week prior. Lohit Thakuria, employed by a private security company, was arrested by Chandmari Police for the alleged assault in Bamunimaidam.
Similarly, on May 22, a teenager was allegedly sexually assaulted by a water tank driver in the Chandmari area. The incident occurred when the alleged culprit visited the teenager's home to deliver water. Taking advantage of the absence of any other family member, he allegedly committed the assault. The victim's family immediately reported the incident to the Chandmari police station, and the suspect, Ramen Haloi, 28, a Chandmari resident, was arrested by the police.
On February 13, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by a tuition teacher in Nizara Ban Path in Fatasil Ambari, Guwahati. An official from Fatasil Ambari Police Station stated, "The incident came to light when the accused took the victim into a dark room and attempted to assault her on February 7." The accused has been identified as Bhaskarjyoti Kalita.
In yet another case on February 2, an individual was sentenced to imprisonment on charges of sexually assaulting his daughter and mentally and physically torturing his spouse. The judgment was passed by the Additional Sessions Judge cum Special Judge (POCSO), Kamrup (Metro) on February 5. The accused, Nani Gopal Debnath, was sentenced to two years of rigorous imprisonment for offenses under Section 506 IPC and Section 12 of the POCSO Act, 2012. The case stemmed from a complaint filed on June 9, 2020, by the victim's mother, accusing Debnath of mental and physical torture and attempted sexual assault on their daughter.
On January 1, Assam Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, proudly declared a sharp decline in crimes against women while addressing the media "If we look at the crime figures for 2023 in Assam, crimes against women have supposedly dropped from 30,000 in 2021 to just 7,453 in 2023," the Chief Minister boasted. "This is a drastic reduction," he added, as if the dwindling numbers on paper somehow translate to fewer women feeling unsafe. Sarma went on to trumpet a 50% reduction in the overall crime rate, with total crimes apparently plummeting from 1,33,000 in 2021 to 63,000 in 2023. He also claimed a reduction in the number of pending investigations, from 1,33,000 in 2021 to just 26,000 in 2023, implying that justice is being served faster than ever. It seems, according to the Chief Minister, that numbers are all it takes to make the streets of Assam feel safer for women.
The question remains: What more can be done to protect the girl child and make Assam a safe place for all its residents? Can we expect meaningful action from the authorities, or will the conversation continue to be limited to vague claims about "special people" being involved in these crimes?
