Adding to the increasing number of crimes against women and children in the State, a youth was arrested from a lodge in Lakhipur town of Goalpara on Tuesday evening for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl.
According Mosaddir Alom, a 21-year-old youth from Rakhalkilla under Jaleswar constituency allegedly enticed and took a Class X student from her Dhumerghat area school to show Lakhipur town.
After arriving the town, the scoundrel booked a room of a lodge at Haluapara owned by one A Jolil. The matter caught the eye of the onlookers and informed the Lakhipur Police. The police under the leadership of Dipak Das, Officer-in-Charge, Lakhipur PS, caught the criminal red-handed.
Later, the victim was brought to the Goalpara Civil Hospital for medical examination and the perpetrator was kept in police custody. On Thursday, the accused was produced before the Judicial Magistrate and sent to the jail.
A case (No 192/2018) has been registered with Lakhipur Police Station against the criminal for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor under Sections 8 and 27 under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act 2012.
As per the provision of Section 8, whoever commits sexual assault, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than three years but may extend up to five years and fine.
As the victim belongs to a non-minority community, the matter has been termed as ‘Love Jihad’ by a section of people who have demanded stringent punishment for the accused.