Assam: Couple assaulted in Cachar over 'love jihad' allegations

In an incident of moral policing, a youth and his partner were brutally assaulted by a mob in Narsinghpur, Assam’s Cachar district, on August 15, coinciding with the nation’s Independence Day. The attack took place in the Nutan Bazar area of the Sonai constituency while the couple was conversing near a local school.

Reports indicate that the mob accused the youth of ‘love jihad,’ alleging that he had deceived the girl into the relationship. The pair’s differing religious backgrounds reportedly intensified the mob’s ire. A video capturing the violent assault rapidly spread on social media, drawing widespread condemnation.

Police arrived promptly and intervened to rescue the victims. The injured youth was taken into police custody, and the girl was placed in a shelter home for her safety. An investigation into the incident is underway.

This incident comes in the wake of Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s announcement on August 4 regarding a new law that will mandate life imprisonment for those involved in “love jihad” cases.