Assam: Repeat offender arrested for rape and murder of 8-year-old girl in Dibrugarh

Dibrugarh: An eight-year-old girl was allegedly raped and murdered in broad daylight on Friday while collecting firewood in a small tea garden at Kachari Pathar under Namrup police station in Assam's Dibrugarh district.

Police said the accused, identified as Jiten Lohar (40–45), was fishing nearby when he saw the minor alone in a small tea garden reportedly owned by Harikanta Bodo. 

He allegedly raped her, killed her by smothering, and concealed the body in a drain, covering it with hay and grass.

When the girl failed to return home, her parents, along with neighbours, began searching for her. 

The local villagers, on being told that Lohar was spotted near the garden at the time, confronted him. On being questioned, Jiten Lohar attempted to flee but was caught by police.

The body was recovered around 8.40 pm. According to police, Lohar had earlier been convicted of murdering his mother and served 14 years in prison before being released three years ago.

“He is in our custody and will be produced before the court today. A case has been registered under the POCSO Act, BNS section 65 (rape), section 302 (murder), and section 238 (concealing evidence),” said Namrup DSP Prasenjit Das.