Himanta Biswa Sarma slams Jharkhand authorities over escape of convicted rapist and treatment of victim’s family

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has sharply criticized the Jharkhand authorities following the escape of a life-sentenced convict, Mohammad Shahid Ansari, who reportedly killed tribal police constable Chauhan Hembram on August 11. Ansari, who was serving his sentence for gang rape, managed to escape from Hazaribag Medical College.

In a post on X, Sarma expressed his outrage over the handling of the situation by Jharkhand's law enforcement. He highlighted the fact that despite the gravity of the incident, no officials have yet reached out to Hembram's grieving family. Sarma also said that he, alongside Babulal Marandi, was en route to visit the victim's family in Bishni Saran, Thana - Bengabad, District - Giridih.

However, Sarma reported a troubling development: around 4:30 AM, the police reportedly detained Hembram’s wife and children and sealed their home, a move he described as “very strange.” He condemned what he perceived as an instance of “appeasement politics,” accusing Jharkhand’s political system of prioritizing political gains over the welfare of its tribal citizens.