Over 13,000 women raped in Assam in the past 8 years: Minister

Guwahati: At least 40,096 women were victims of atrocities against them and another 13,798 were raped in Assam between 2005 and October 2013, Forest Minister Rockybul Hussain said on Monday.

Sixty nine women died after rape, 72 were killed on suspicion of practicing witchcraft, besides 1,148 dowry deaths, said Hussain in an oral reply to Gul Akhtara Begum (AIUDF) in the Assembly . In connection with atrocities against women 37,694 were arrested and 25,943 of them were charge sheeted, while 2,386 were prosecuted by court, he said replying on behalf of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi who also heads the Home ministry. 11,995 accused of committing rape were arrested and 4,472 of them charge sheeted with 1,466 forwarded to jail custody by court, he said. While 73 were arrested on being accused of causing death after rape, 43 of them were slapped with charges leading to conviction of 14, the minister said. He further said 1,704 were arrested for dowry related cases, 1,237 were accused and 249 prosecuted by court. The Minister also said that 437 were accused of witch-hunting killings, while 286 of them were charge sheeted and 68 forwarded to jail custody. In reply to Phani Bhusan Choudhury`s (AGP) query, Hussain said 1512 rape, 5182 dowry-related and 10 witch-hunting death cases were registered this year till November. Last year 1716 cases of rape, 1368 killings and 5233 dowry related and 11 witch-hunting deaths were recorded, the minister said.