SILCHAR: Hundreds of people, including women, took out a candle march in Patharkandi in southern Assam’s Karimganj district on Monday evening seeking “justice” for a 30-year-old woman, whose semi-nude dead body was found near her home in a village in Patharkandi on Sunday morning.
Panchami Sinha, daughter of late Moni Sinha, was found dead under mysterious circumstances on a paddy field near her house in Kachubari (Patharkandi), about 92km from Silchar, on Sunday. She was in semi-naked condition when her body was found. People in large numbers gheraoed Patharkandi police station after the news broke out as they claimed the woman was raped / gang-raped and murdered. Police soon swung into action and arrested a youth Libu Sinha from Jamiyala village in Patharkandi. The body was sent to Karimganj civil hospital for autopsy. On Monday, he was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.
On Monday evening, a huge number of people, including women, took out a candle rally in Patharkandi demanding “justice” for the deceased person. The rally, after meandering through various areas, reached Patharkandi police station near which the protesters staged a protest. They claimed Panchami was raped / gang-raped and then killed and demanded that each and everyone involved in the crime be arrested and sternly punished. They threatened to intensify their protest if their demand is not fulfilled.
As per available information, Panchami used to work at a sweet shop and she, like on other days, had gone to her workplace on Saturday. She returned home at her usual time and then went to a neighbour’s house near her home. After she did not return home for a long time, her family members including her elder sister and her brother-in-law searched for her but could not find her. On Sunday morning, Panchami’s dead body was found.
A section of locals claimed Libu and Panchami were in a relationship for years and Libu recently got into a relationship with another woman which caused bitterness between Libu and Panchami. Libu killed Panchami in a pre-planned way to get rid of her, the locals claimed.
Sources in the police said the initial investigation has revealed the involvement of multiple persons in Panchami’s death. A manhunt is on to nab each and everyone involved in the crime, the sources said.
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