Assam: 20-year-old commits suicide in police custody in Dalgaon

The suicide of 20-year-old Eliza Begum in Dalgaon in Darrang district in the Dhula Regional Physically Handicapped Development Association (DRPHDA) campus under police custody has created a sensation in the area.

The deceased, who claimed to be the fiancée of one Safiqul Islam of Aminpara under Rowta Police Station in Udalguri district, was physically manhandled when she went to Islam’s residence to stop his proposed marriage.

She was rescued by the Rowta police and her custody was later handed over to Dalgaon police, who later handed her over to the DRPHDA authorities where she was sheltered for the night.

However, in the morning she was found hanging in the bathroom.

“Police brought the girl to our centre on Thursday midnight and asked her to provide her shelter for the night,” said DRPHDA management committee secretary Rajesh Deka.

“She was provided accommodation in of the rooms of our female cooks,” Deka added.

“Next morning she went to the bathroom and when she did not return for long, we broke opened the bathroom door and found her hanging,” he added.

Adding further Deka said, “We have 75 inmates living in this centre and since the last 20 years we have been providing night shelter to women brought by the police.”

“Rowta police handed over the girl to us and since there is no woman cell we kept her in the Dhula shelter home, which we have been using for a night shelter for such woman since I had joined the police station,” said Officer-in-Charge of Dalgaon Police Station Dilip Mili.

On the other hand District Social Welfare Officer, Madhurima Bora said, “The Dhula Centre is not a designated centre to offer shelter to women who are victims of domestic or other violence.”

“Sakhi one-stop centre can offer shelter to victims of domestic violence,” she added.

“However, in this case, the girl who was not a victim of domestic violence and she should have been shifted to State Home at Jalukbari,” Bora further said.

Locals have alleged that the death of the young girl, who was under severe trauma and needed immediate counselling, has exposed the lack of a holistic approach on the part of the people at the helm of affairs.

Meanwhile, police have arrested Safiqul Islam after Eliza’s death and remanded him to judicial custody on Saturday.

Meanwhile, several local organisations of Dalgaon have submitted a memorandum to Darrang Superintendent of Police demanding a probe into the incident.