Why 3-men raping the lifeless body of a minor case in Karimganj deserves attention that ‘Nirbhaya’ got

A 15-year-old girl from Karimganj met a tragic end at her own residence on September 9. What makes this case particularly gruesome is the heart-wrenching sequence of events that unfolded, revealing the depths of depravity that some individuals can sink to.

It all began with a seemingly innocuous statement – “Not now, but after marriage” – uttered by the young girl in response to advances from her alleged boyfriend, Rahul Das, employed as a trackman in the Indian Railways. His monthly salary of Rs 35,000 seemed to have fostered a sense of power over the vulnerable girl, enticing him to manipulate her emotions and coerce her into a relationship.

The small, cramped living quarters of the victim initially perplexed the local police. How could such a heinous crime occur in a room adjacent to where her sisters were, while her parents were elsewhere?

Superintendent of Police, Karimganj, IPS Partha Protim Das, personally took charge of the investigation and discovered a crucial lead – a phone number scribbled in the deceased girl’s notebook. This revelation unraveled a chilling tale of violence against a minor that must horrify the nation that promotes, “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao” and addresses the country, as motherland or “Bharat Mata”.

Delving into the call logs of the phone number, the Karimganj Police established a connection between the deceased and Shubra Malakar, a resident of Karimganj and the first person to be detained in this case. The number noted in the girl’s notebook was found to be engaging in lengthy, late-night conversations with another number, both owned by Shubra Malakar and a woman, who was his wife. It was here that the investigation took a sinister turn.

Further inquiries revealed that Rahul Das had allegedly acquired two phone numbers from Shubra Malakar – one for himself and another for the victim. While an illicit affair had developed between Das and the minor, it had not escalated to intimacy. Das, however, persisted, while the minor continued to resist his advances.

On September 8, Das, along with accomplices Biplab Paul and Shubra Malakar, made their way to the girl’s residence. Das embraced the minor and instructed the others to secure the door. He attempted to be intimate with the girl, but she firmly responded, “Not now, but after marriage.”

In a horrific turn of events, Rahul Das then strangled the young girl to death. Subsequently, he removed her clothing and called his friends to join him. In an unimaginably horrifying act, all three men sexually assaulted the lifeless body of a 15-year-old before erasing any potential evidence and fleeing the scene.

IPS Partha Protim Das, describing the case as a grotesque instance of violence against women, especially a minor, emphasized that the investigation is ongoing and not solely reliant on the confessions of the accused. He is meticulously assembling a case diary that adheres to the stringent requirements of the law to ensure that justice is served and the perpetrators face the full force of the legal system.

As the case continues to be under investigation, certain details are being withheld. A follow-up report will shed light on the progress of the investigation and any possible connections that may emerge.