Assam Nalbari Aasu Member Killed Accused Dead Police Encounter Love Jihad

Within 24 hours of a 20-year-old All Assam Students’ Union member being killed and his 17-year-old cousin critically injured in an attack that has shaken Assam, the accused was killed in an encounter in Nalbari district Monday afternoon.

According to police, the deceased accused, a Muslim youth, was also likely a teenager but that details of his identity are yet to be ascertained. Nalbari SSP Bibekananda Das said that the family of the injured teenage girl have alleged that the accused had been trying to pursue her romantically.

“The accused was from a village neighbouring that of the victims. However, there was nobody in his family’s home and they seem to have fled after the incident. So, we are unsure about his exact age, but it is likely to be either 17 or 18. The victim girl’s mother has alleged that he would call her and message, and was trying to get her to be his boyfriend but that she had rejected him. She has alleged that he had threatened her because of this,” said SSP Das.

The girl, who is a higher secondary student and her cousin, Madhurjya Barman, who was a district level office bearer for the AASU, had been travelling together in a two-wheeler when they were assaulted on Sunday evening. While Barman succumbed to his injuries, his cousin was sent to the district hospital for treatment and was subsequently transferred to the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital.

GMCH Superintendent Dr Devajit Choudhury said that she has sustained injuries from a sharp weapon in multiple places including her scalp, neck, back and arms. He added that she is in post-traumatic shock and is being treated in the general ICU.

“We got information about the incident at around 8 pm on Sunday. They had gone to buy books together, and it appears that they had been stopped on an empty road when there were not many houses, and that’s where they were attacked. We had been looking for the accused, who had been named by the injured girl, since last night and had conducted multiple raids,” said SSP Das.

He said that Monday, they received information that the accused was hiding in a char (riverine island) area and went there to apprehend him.

“After our team apprehended him there, he was leading them to the machete which he had used in the attack. At that time, he snatched an SLR rifle from one of the personnel and fired 4-5 rounds at the police team, in retaliation to which they too opened fire at him. No police were injured in the incident, but he died,” he said.

The attack on the cousins had triggered outrage in Nalbari district, with the local AASU taking out a protest Monday demanding that the accused be arrested. In the midst of the inflamed atmosphere, Nalbari MLA and cabinet minister in the last NDA government Jayanta Malla Baruah termed the assault “love jihad”.

“’Love jihad’ is a chronic social challenge that is slowly spreading its roots in Assam. As a society, we must remain alert, aware and united against any attempt to exploit, deceive or target our daughters and disrupt social harmony. I appreciate the swift and decisive action taken by Assam Police in the Nalbari case. Their prompt response sends a clear message that those who commit such crimes will not escape the law,” he said.

Sukrita Baruah is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Guwahati. From this strategic hub, she provides comprehensive, ground-level coverage of India's North East, a region characterized by its complex ethnic diversity, geopolitical significance, and unique developmental challenges. Expertise and Experience Ethnic & Social Dynamics: Deep-dive coverage of regional conflicts (such as the crisis in Manipur) and peace-building efforts. Border & Geopolitics: Tracking developments along India’s international borders and their impact on local communities. Governance & Policy: Reporting on state elections, tribal council decisions, and the implementation of central schemes in the North East. Specialized Education Background: Prior to her current role, Sukrita was a dedicated Education Correspondent for The Indian Express in Delhi. This experience provided her with a sharp analytical lens for: Policy Analysis: Evaluating the National Education Policy (NEP) and university-level reforms. Student Affairs: Covering high-stakes stories regarding campus politics, national entrance exams, and the challenges within the primary and secondary education sectors. ... Read More

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