3 more detained in Assam for trying to force female dancers to strip

india

Updated: Jun 10, 2019 15:59 IST

Police in Assam’s Chaygaon have detained three more people in Asolpara molestation case, where a group of female dancers were allegedly being forced to strip in the name of a cultural event last Friday.

The police, on Sunday had arrested two people in connection with this incident in Asolpara in Kamrup (Rural) district, nearly 50-km west of the state capital.

“…We have detained three more. In their interrogation they have confessed to taking part in the event where the alleged molestation took place,” said Rupam Hazarika, in-charge of Chaygaon police station.

“Six people who organised the event, and are named in the FIR are absconding. Our investigations are underway and we will arrest them soon,” he added.

Police action follows an FIR by the Rainbow Dance Group of Boko, detailing how a team of 35 dancers including 6 girls were trapped in the name of a non-existent cultural event and were being forced to perform naked for a sum of Rs 37,000.

As per the FIR, the girls, with the rest of the troupe, were forcibly taken to an area enclosed with tin sheets where nearly 700-800 spectators pulled at their dresses and urged them to dance naked.

“The dancers were not allowed to perform their regular routine and the crowd wanted them to remove their clothes and dance. The organizers also supported the unruly crowd. They were threatening to kill us with daggers if we refused,” said Arup D. Rabha, director of Rainbow Dance Group and an eye witness.

The girls somehow managed to flee and hide inside their parked vehicle, but the crowd chased them and damaged the vehicle. The dance troupe could only escape after they sent an SOS to their friends and the Boko police. They finally reached the safety of Boko police station at 3:00 am on Saturday morning.

The incident has flared up emotions in the area since most of the spectators and the organisers belong to a minority community while most of the dancers are from the indigenous tribes of the state.

“We later found that the organisers had promised the spectators a naked dance show as part of post-Eid celebrations and had collected money promising a troupe from Cooch Behar in West Bengal,” said Rabha.

On Monday, nearly 1000 people carried out a rally in Boko, carrying placards and shouting slogans, demanding speedy arrest and stringent action against the accused.