A newly married woman from Assam was allegedly gang-raped by her husband and his two friends just three days after their wedding. The man committed this crime as his wife’s family had not met their demand of dowry. An FIR has been lodged against the husband who has been arrested and a manhunt has been started for the two friends who are stated to be absconding, police said.

According to police sources, the incident came to light when she had gone for medical treatment to a government hospital in a critical condition.
In the FIR filed on April 22, the woman said her husband had demanded gold jewellery as dowry, which her family was unable to give so her husband and his two friends had raped her.

Even at a time where the whole country is outraged over the Kathua and Unnao rape cases, there have been many cases of sexual assault against minors in Assam. Over the past two months at least 20 cases have been registered in the state.

The rise in the number of sexual assaults against minors has surprised activists.
“This is absolutely shocking. In the last two months, we have documented at least 20 cases of sexual assault… the reasons are varied but the huge economic and social disparity in Assam is a major factor,” Miguel Das Queah, a rights activist from Guwahati was quoted as saying.