Thaindian News

Guwahati, July 14 (IANS) Police have failed to make any breakthrough and arrest any of the seven other culprits from the group that publicly molested and stripped a teenage girl in this main city of Assam last Monday, officials said Saturday. The incident created a country-wide furore after the video clip of it was telecast.

Police have only managed to arrest four of the 11 accused, involved in molesting the girl. The rest of the accused have been identified but were still on the run as of Saturday.

Meanwhile, a two-member team from the National Commission for Women arrived in Guwahati Saturday and met the police and district administration, members of the state women commission and the victim.

The incident, however, took a different turn on Saturday after Team Anna member and Assam farmers leader Akhil Gogoi produced before the media six video clippings allegedly indicting local journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog for his involvement in the incident.

The prominent anti-dam activist Friday alleged the involvement of the journalist, who works for a Guwahati-based news channel, and charged police with trying to divert the issue and to cover up his name.

After Gogoi’s allegation, a forum of the electronic media persons, the Electronic Media Forum of Assam (EMFA) also dared the activist to prove his allegations against the journalist.

Producing the video clippings before media, Gogoi said: “The journalist took an active role in the incident which brought shame to the public life of Assam in general and journalism in particular.”

Gogoi also handed over a copy of the six video clippings to state Director General of Police Jayanta Narayan Choudhury in the presence of other senior police officials.

“I am also handing over a copy of the clippings to the National Commission for Women members, who are in the state at this moment,” said Gogoi and accused the journalist as the main culprit behind the incident of molestation.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi Friday instituted a one-man inquiry commission headed by state’s Additional Chief Secretary Emily Choudhury to probe the incident.

Choudhury has been asked to submit the report within 15 days. The chief minister has also asked the police administration to take strict action against those found guilty.