Assam Student Murder Case Shocks Jorhat District
In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves across Assam, the body of an 18-year-old college student, who was reportedly seven to eight months pregnant, was recovered from a septic tank in Jorhat district early Monday morning. The grim discovery came four days after the young woman went missing under mysterious circumstances.
The victim had disappeared on November 7 while returning home from college, prompting her family to file a missing person complaint with local authorities. What began as a missing person case has now evolved into a full-scale murder investigation with serious allegations of police negligence during the initial probe.
Police Investigation and Arrests
Jorhat Senior Superintendent of Police Subhrajyoti Bora provided crucial details about the investigation during a media briefing. The breakthrough came around 3:30-4 am on Monday when police recovered the body from a septic tank located near a store owned by the prime accused, 60-year-old Jagat Singh.
"We received the complaint on November 7 and began the investigation the next day," stated SSP Bora. "The prime suspect was picked up early in the probe but did not confess initially. On Sunday morning, he attempted self-harm while in custody. Police intervened and rushed him to the hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment."
The investigation revealed disturbing details about the case. Police discovered that Singh had approached a doctor seeking abortion for the deceased student. The accused had enlisted the help of a pharmacist, Rekibuddin Ahmed, during this attempt. Authorities have recorded statements from both the doctor and a friend of the victim, who confirmed the pregnancy.
"During the investigation, we received information that Singh had approached a doctor for the abortion of the deceased," Bora explained. "The doctor stated that the deceased was about 7-8 months pregnant."
Confession and Charges
Police officials revealed that until Sunday evening, they had no concrete evidence in the case. However, sustained pressure on the main suspect eventually led to a breakthrough. Between 9:30-10:30 pm on Sunday, Jagat Singh finally confessed to the crime, admitting that he murdered the young woman and disposed of her body in the septic tank before fleeing the scene.
Following this confession, police have arrested four individuals in connection with the case. Apart from Jagat Singh, authorities have taken into custody his sons Krishan and Jeevan, along with pharmacist Rekibuddin Ahmed. All face charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
"His sons directly or indirectly helped him in the crime, and the pharmacist assisted the main accused while approaching the doctor for an abortion," clarified SSP Bora.
Fallout and Accountability
The case has exposed serious lapses in police procedure, leading to disciplinary action against the officer-in-charge of Titabor Police Station. The officer has been 'reserve closed' for alleged negligence, and a departmental inquiry has been initiated to investigate the handling of the case.
The victim's body has been sent to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem examination. What began as a simple missing person case has now been upgraded with additional charges under the POCSO Act after confirmation that the deceased - aged 18 years and two months - was pregnant. Murder charges were added following the recovery of her body.
SSP Bora assured that authorities will ensure a strong chargesheet is prepared in full compliance with the law to ensure that the guilty do not escape justice. The case continues to develop as investigators piece together the complete sequence of events leading to this tragic outcome.
