Silchar: The main suspect in the alleged gang rape in Assam’s Nagaon district, who was arrested on Friday, died after he fell into a pond during an investigation, police said.

Nagaon Police Chief Swapnaneel Deka (SP) said the suspect, identified as Tafazzul Islam, was brought to the area where the alleged incident took place on August 22 as part of the investigation, but he attacked the police team and tried to flee.

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“As part of the investigation, our team took him to the spot last night but he suddenly attacked the police and jumped into a nearby pond. After nearly two hours of searching, his unconscious body was found,” Deka said.

The incident took place in the early hours of Saturday around 4 am and after two hours, the Assam fire and emergency services fished out his body, the SP said. He was taken to a government hospital where doctors declared him brought dead, he added.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire brigade, emergency services and Assam police jointly conducted the search operation.

A 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three men in Nagaon district on Thursday, triggering massive protests on the streets.

According to police, the girl was left injured and unconscious on the side of the road, near a pond, before being rescued by locals.

Islam was one of the three accused. He was arrested on Friday under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) and other sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said.

On Friday, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reacted strongly to the alleged incident, saying, “WE WILL NOT LET ANYONE RELAX.”

“The heinous incident in Dhing involving a minor is a crime against humanity and has touched our collective conscience. We will NOT LEAVE ANYONE ALONE and BRING THE culprits TO JUSTICE. I have directed @DGPAssamPolice to visit the scene and take swift action against such monsters,” he wrote on X.

According to Sarma, as many as 23 cases of rape have been reported in Assam since June 4 this year. He said such crimes are increasing in areas where the indigenous population is decreasing.

Assam police chief Gyanendra Pratap Singh, who visited Dhing on Friday, said there was sufficient evidence against the arrested person and further investigation was underway.

After Islam’s death, the villagers refused to participate in his last rites.