‘Spray Man’ Strikes Again, Another Rape Attempt In Chirang

Our Correspondent

KOKRAJHAR: At a time when repeated attempts of sexual exploitation in Kokrajhar are taking place, a fresh attempt to rape was reported at Bandwguri village under Sidli police station in Chirang district.

A woman aged around 32 years, hailing from Lokra of Guwahati, was sprayed chemicals by an unidentified man on Wednesday evening at around 7.30 pm. The ‘spray man’ was challenged by the woman and gheraoed by conscious villagers. He then slit the throat of the woman and ran away. The woman was immediately taken to Jwhwlao Swmbla Basumatary Civil Hospital, Kajalgaon but was referred to Bongaigaon Civil Hospital.

Binod Mashahary of Bandwguri village said the incident took place at his residence on Wednesday evening where an unidentified man tried to make his domestic help unconscious by spraying some chemicals but failed as she was not asleep. She challenged the man with a broken bottle but the ‘spray man’ slit her throat with a sharp knife. He said the conscious villagers gheraoed the man and tried to catch him but at that moment, the OC of Sidli police station, Ritujyoti Nath reached the spot and allegedly ordered lathicharge on the villagers instead of apprehending the ‘spray man’. In this way he managed to flee.

The villagers alleged that the police team led by the OC severely beat up Derhasat Basumatary and Ambrit Basumatary of Bandeguri village. Both the youths reportedly received serious injuries.

On Thursday, the agitated villagers staged protest in front of the DC office, Chirang and demanded proper inquiry into the incident. They also demanded that the culprit should be apprehended as early as possible, besides instituting an inquiry into the role of the OC of Sidli who allegedly gave a free run to the ‘spray man’.

Meanwhile, visiting the incident spot, the working president of the Bodoland Janajati Suraksha Mancha (BJSM), DD Narzary said there could be political involvement in the series of spray incidents and attempts to rape. Narzary, while strongly criticizing the police administration, demanded that the OC of Sidli police station, Ritujyoti Nath should be suspended for his suspicious and partial role in the incident. He also demanded the district administration to arrest the culprit immediately and that the government should conduct inquiry into the series of similar incidents.