SILCHAR: In a harrowing ordeal that has sent shockwaves across the academic community in Silchar district of Assam, a female student studying in Assam University fell victim to sexual assault by an auto-rickshaw driver while heading home from college.
This shocking incident unfolded on August 19 as the student, a research scholar, was returning to her residence located in Irongmara village.
As per reports, the students had just finished attending her classes, after which she proceeded towards boarding an auto-rickshaw driven by a man identified as Badrujaman Farooq.
Suspicion arouse when Farooq insisted her to sit in the front seat beside him, an unusual request for a passenger.
The student initially hesitated as she did not feel comfortable but later agreed on his demand as she wanted to avoid a conflict.
The situation took a horrifying turn midway through the journey when Farooq allegedly made an attempt to sexually harass the student. Reportedly, the pervert committed a shameless act by unzipping his pants and exposing himself, thereby traumatizing the student.
Completely taken aback by the disgusting gesture, the student jumped out of the moving vehicle to escape the scene.
She later gathered the courage to complain about this incident to the local police and also informed the university authorities about this horrendous experience.
The incident infuriated the student community who stood up for her by showing solidarity. In a show of support, fellow students, alongside the university's student union, launched a manhunt to nab the accused.
The relentless effort to find the culprit did not go in vain as Farooq, a resident of Bakirnagar in Cachar, was arrested on the night of August 20 and was handed over to the cops. He is currently in custody, awaiting legal proceedings.
The incident has sparked tensions on the Assam University campus, with students demanding immediate and robust action from the local administration to ensure the safety and security of all students.
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