Four policemen and over 20 locals were injured in a volatile encounter between an angry mob and police officers in the Silchar region of Assam's Cachar district late Tuesday night. The crowd had gathered to protest the alleged rape and murder of a 19-year-old girl, using her body to blockade a main roadway.
The flare-up began after more than a thousand people converged on the Rangirkhari Point in Silchar town around 7 pm, blocking the road with the girl's body. Police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were deployed to maintain order and control the swelling crowd.
The situation escalated at approximately 10:30 pm when the police attempted to take the body for cremation. According to Cachar Superintendent of Police, Numal Mahatta, the crowd responded with violence. "A mob started throwing stones at the police, resulting in injuries to four officers," Mr Mahatta said.
The girl had been reported missing four days prior, on July 15, and her mutilated body was found in an under-construction building in the Dwarbond area, 30 kilometres from Silchar. Her parents had filed a First Information Report (FIR) at the Rangirkhari Police Station after they lost contact with her and her mobile phone was found switched off.
The police were alerted to the location of the body by local residents, and an investigation into the brutal crime is currently underway.
"The family members of the victim were cooperative and were preparing for her cremation when an unexpected mob began the protest with the girl's body," Mr Mahatta said. Despite the volatile crowd, police and CRPF personnel managed to eventually regain control of the situation.
While the authorities are actively investigating the incident, details surrounding the case remain scarce. An unnamed police officer stated, "We are investigating the matter, but right now, we can't say anything definitive about the case."
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