Was a Man Accused of Sexually Assaulting Teenage Girls Lynched in Arunachal?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Community outrage led to mob violence.
- Local authorities are addressing the safety of students.
- The importance of law enforcement in handling allegations.
- Need for open dialogue between communities and law enforcement.
- Significance of support systems for victims of sexual assault.
Itanagar, July 11 (NationPress) In a shocking event at Roing in the Lower Dibang Valley District of Arunachal Pradesh, a man accused of assaulting four teenage girls was brutally killed by an enraged mob, as reported by officials.
A police official disclosed that the accused, a labourer from a nearby construction site close to Mount Cramel Mission School, was allegedly sexually harassing students residing in a local hostel. Following these serious allegations, law enforcement apprehended the suspect. However, community members, infuriated by the accusations, resorted to extreme measures, leading to the lynching of the man.
After complaints circulated within the community regarding the sexual harassment of three to four teenagers, the police were able to identify the suspect. Yet, despite the police's intervention, the local populace expressed dissatisfaction with the man's detention and insisted on immediate retribution, culminating in a volatile scene outside the police station.
The situation escalated when the mob surrounded the police station and forcibly extracted the accused from custody. Subsequently, they brutally killed him, illustrating the intense emotions and responses elicited by the alleged crime. This incident has raised concerns about the relationship between the community and law enforcement in Roing.
The accused was reported to be a migrant worker. A postmortem examination of the body has been carried out by the police. In response to the incident, the Lower Dibang Valley District administration mandated the indefinite closure of Mount Cramel Mission School starting July 12 due to the “untoward incident of molestation of minor girls in the girls' hostel.”
“To ensure the safety of students, all parents are instructed to withdraw their children from the school and enroll them in nearby government or recognized private institutions,” stated District Magistrate Fwwrman Brahma in his directive.