Conspiracy theories swirl over jailbreak-lynching

BY OUR STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI, March 7: Conspiracy theories are flying thick and fast after the outrageous jailbreak by a violent mob and lynching of a rape-accused in public at Dimapur on Thursday.

The family of the rape accused, Syed Farid Khan, had yesterday alleged that the girl, who lodged the FIR on February 24, a day after the rape allegedly took place, had demanded Rs 2 lakh to withdraw the charges.

However, the 20-year-old college girl denied the charges today. But she admitted that she had deposited Rs 5,000 at the police station while lodging the FIR. “The amount was forcibly given to me by the duo (Khan and another co-accused) for keeping mum,” she said.

rrating the incident, the girl said she was taken in a vehicle by the co-accused – who is known to her – to a restaurant. Khan, she alleged, was driving the vehicle. They reportedly had some scks and beer at an eatery.

She alleged that she was raped in the vehicle while returning. “I was forced to take beer. I was not in my proper senses. They then took me to a hotel where I was raped twice,” she said, adding that later she was dropped home.

Khan’s wife and the girl are from the same village and they are known to each other for quite some time.

A TV channel today showed a purported CCTV footage of the hotel showing the girl coming out. Khan was seen following the girl, but he stopped at the counter for some time.

According to another report, there was an intelligence report, a day before the lynching incident,  indicating at the possibility of a raid upon the jail by a mob, with the public protesting the rape incident in the previous few days, demanding handing over of the accused to them.

Sources claimed that the Dimapur administration was asked by the galand government to act in a restrained manner in such an eventuality.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister TR Zeliang had survived a trust motion a few days back following a revolt against him in his party NPF. The political situation in the hill state has been fragile since January. One theory is linking the political situation of the state to the mob violence, which has apparently shown the Zeliang government in poor light.

Asked about the conspiracy theories emerging from various quarters, a senior galand police official said, “So far there is no indication pointing to any conspiracy. But we are not ruling out anything. Let the investigations be over.”

galand IGP Wabong Jamir said the statement of the rape victim and some injuries sustained by her, point to a rape. “However, further medical tests are being conducted. We are waiting for the results,” he said.

Meanwhile, Khan’s family has been strenuously denying the charges of rape against him. A resident of Bosla village under Badarpur police station in Assam, Khan, a small-time businessman, is married to a ga woman. He is survived by a three year old daughter. His father was a defence personnel. Two of his five brothers are also in the Indian Army.

Interestingly, during the mob jailbreak, among the prisoners who maged to escape is an NSCN(IM) ‘major’ and a cadre. Both were serving prison sentences under the tiol Securities Act. Sources said a section of ga ultras had a hand in inciting the mob to raid the jail.

In a late night development, the Assam Chief Minister said that “unconfirmed medical reports” show that the complaint in the case was not raped.

Speaking to a tiol channel, Tarun Gogoi said, “It is up to the galand government to come out with the facts. We have received an unofficial report of no rape.” The Chief Minister further said that the accused Syed Khan was not an illegal immigrant but a bofide citizen of India.