In a harrowing ordeal that has sent shockwaves across the academic community in Silchar district of Assam, a female student studying in Assam University fell victim to sexual assault by an auto-rickshaw driver while heading home from college. This shocking incident unfolded on August 19 as the student, a research scholar, was returning to her residence located in Irongmara village. As per reports, the students had just finished attending her classes, after which she proceeded towards boarding an auto-rickshaw driven by a man identified as Badrujaman Farooq.
When Farooq insisted she take the front seat next to him—an unusual request for a passenger—suspicion was aroused. The student was uncomfortable at first, so she hesitated, but in order to avoid a confrontation, she eventually consented to his demand. Midway through the trip, the scenario apparently took a frightening turn when Farooq allegedly attempted to harass the student sexually. The teenager was reportedly traumatized by the pervert’s sleazy conduct of unzipping his pants and exposing himself.
The student was so disgusted by the gesture that he sprang out of the moving car and fled the scene. Later, she worked up the bravery to report this horrible event to the university administration as well as the local police. The student body was outraged by the occurrence and rallied behind her defense. Students at the institution and the student union organized a manhunt to find the accused as a show of support.
The relentless effort to find the culprit did not go in vain as Farooq, a resident of Bakirnagar in Cachar, was arrested on the night of August 20 and was handed over to the cops. He is currently in custody, awaiting legal proceedings. The incident has sparked tensions on the Assam University campus, with students demanding immediate and robust action from the local administration to ensure the safety and security of all students.