Introduction
In a shocking incident that has sparked outrage across Assam University and beyond, a female student was subjected to extreme sexual harassment by an autorickshaw driver near the university campus in Silchar on August 19, 2024.
Incident Details
On the evening of August 19, a student of Assam University, originally from West Bengal, boarded an autorickshaw from the university gate to return to her rented accommodation in Irangmara, a village adjacent to the university. The distance, though a mere ten-minute walk, is commonly traversed by students using autorickshaws due to their availability and convenience.
The student, at the request of the autorickshaw driver, sat in the front seat as the back seats were reportedly occupied with items. Shortly after, the driver began making inappropriate and invasive comments, and upon learning that the student was not a local resident, his behavior escalated into verbal harassment. As the autorickshaw neared her destination, the driver stopped beside an empty field. When the student attempted to pay the fare and leave, the driver shockingly exposed himself and made obscene gestures.
Frightened, the student fled the scene and later recounted the horrifying experience to her acquaintances. They immediately urged the university authorities to review the CCTV footage in hopes of identifying the perpetrator but most of the campus cameras were non-functional.
Student Response and Arrest
The incident sent shockwaves through the student community. A group of art students sketched a portrait of the driver based on the student’s description. A breakthrough came when a research student recognized the driver as someone who had previously given her his phone number for future autorickshaw bookings.
Using the phone number, the students lured the driver back to the university under the pretext of hiring his services. Within 15 minutes, the driver, identified as Badruz Zaman Farque, arrived on campus, where he was immediately identified by the victim and apprehended by the university’s student council. The students then handed him over to the local police.
Information Source: Barak Bulletin
