Tezpur/Jorhat/Kokrajhar, Jan. 4: The CRPF havildar and senior BTAD Congress leader accused in the attempted rape case in Lakhimpur and the rape case in Chirang were remanded in judicial custody today while the alleged rape of a minor came to light in Tinsukia district.

Lakhimpur deputy commissioner Anwaruddin Choudhury told The Telegraph that the chief judicial magistrate had remanded CRPF havildar Baria Mohan Singh, 45, of Gujarat in judicial custody for an unspecified period for allegedly trying to rape a speech-impaired woman.

Three other CRPF jawans have also been suspended in the case.

“No leniency will be shown to the accused. A magisterial probe is under way. The three CRPF jawans suspended were called by the accused when he was surrounded by villagers when he allegedly tried to rape the woman at Chauldhowa near Lakhimpur. They fled sensing trouble,” he added.

The district superintendent of police Prasenjit Bhuyan has also constituted a three-member special investigation team, including a woman official, to probe the case. “The SIT will submit its report within 15 days. The victim’s statement has also been recorded,” he said. Singh has been booked under Section 376 of the IPC, he added.

Choudhury said the slew of steps taken by the administration for a speedy trial had helped to convince protesters, who had blocked NH52 at Chauldhowa during the day seeking exemplary punishment to the guilty, to lift the blockade by 4pm.

In the Chirang case, Congress leader Bikram Singh Brahma was remanded in 14 days’ judicial custody by the CJM’s court in Kokrajhar. The court also recorded the victim’s statement. Her medical test was also carried out today.

Brahma has filed a case countering the allegation. A case (05/13 under Sections 120B/382/427 IPC) was registered at Basugaon police station amounting to criminal conspiracy, hurt and mischief causing damage, among others.

Brahma, who is in his early sixties, was arrested after the victim’s husband, Lakhen Basumatary, former chairman of Salbari village council development committee, filed an FIR at Basugaon police station yesterday, alleging rape. The police registered a case (03/2013) under Section 448/376 IPC.

Basumatary had yesterday alleged having caught Brahma in a compromising situation with his wife the previous night. The woman, in her early forties, said she was lured by the accused with promises of helping her husband in granting schemes as he had connections in Dispur.

In Tinsukia, police have arrested five persons on charges of raping a 13-year-old girl at Hukanpukhuri tea estate under Makum police station.

Among those arrested is a woman, identified as Tusu Mali. She has been charged with instigating the crime allegedly committed on Wednesday evening.

The other four have been identified as Jogeshwar Mali (husband of Tusu), Sanesh Nayak, Tiranath Mali and Ramchandra Patnaik. The fifth accused, Rajen Nayak, is absconding.

Makum police station officer-in-charge Simanta Borah said according to the complaint lodged by the victim’s father, the minor had gone to Jogeshwar’s quarters at number 15 labour line of the garden in the evening to get her mobile handset charged.

Jogeshwar and Tusu charged the girl with stealing their mobile handset, which she denied.

Tusu then allegedly heated an iron rod and pressed it against the girl’s body as part of a black magic ritual to elicit the truth.

All the other accused (all neighbours) came to Jogeshwar’s quarters and reportedly dragged the girl to the campus of a nearby school and allegedly gang raped her.

Borah said the girl’s condition was stable. She is with her parents and efforts were on to apprehend Nayak.

A case (1/2013) was registered under Sections 325/341/109/508/376(G) IPC yesterday after the girl’s father lodged an FIR, police sources said.

Five of the six accused were immediately arrested and produced before a local court, which sent them to judicial custody.