Assam: Man accused of rape dies in police custody after ‘jumping’ into pond while ‘trying to escape’

A man accused in the alleged gangrape of a 14-year-old girl in Assam’s Nagaon district died in police custody on Saturday after he attempted to escape by “jumping” into a pond, The Indian Express reported.

The 24-year-old, identified as Tafazul Islam, was among the three persons accused in the gangrape case. The incident took place on Thursday in the district’s Dhing area. He was the only accused arrested by the police so far.

In the early hours of Saturday, Islam was taken to the scene of the incident near a pond when he attempted to escape, the police said.

“After he was interrogated, he was taken to the crime scene,” The Indian Express quoted Nagaon Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka as saying. “It is there that he tried to escape and jumped into a lake.”

The incident occurred around 3.30 am on Saturday, according to The Hindu.

#WATCH | The body of the prime accused of the Dhing gang rape incident in Assam's Nagaon district, Tafazul Islam recovered from a pond. The police had earlier arrested him in connection with the case.

"When a police team took him last night to the spot for investigation where… pic.twitter.com/ow29EJ37j7— ANI (@ANI) August 24, 2024

Deka added that the area was cordoned off immediately and that the State Disaster Response Force was alerted.

“After the SDRF [State Disaster Response Force]...

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