Three more persons involved in the group that publicly molested a 17-year-old girl in the heart of the city have been arrested and a police official suspended for dereliction of duty as the police on Sunday announced Rs 1 lakh award for giving whereabouts of the prime accused.
"The total number of arrested persons in Monday's molestation incident is now seven," Senior Superintendent of Police (Guwahati city) Apurba Jabon Barua told PTI.
Two of those arrested are Diganta Basumatary and Navajyoti Deka while Ghanshyam Mallick was arrested from Bijni area and handed over to Guwahati police on Sunday.
Barua said sub-inspector Subhan Baruah of Dispur police station has been suspended for dereliction of duty.
Prime accused Amarjyoti Kalita, however, is still at large, he said adding that they have announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for anyone giving his whereabouts. Raids are going on in Assam and neighbouring states to nab those absconding.
The action came after Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi gave direction to the police on Saturday to arrest the culprits within 48 hours.
Police has come under sever criticism from various quarters with allegations being made that cops reached the spot around 45 minutes after the molestation of the girl in the city's busy Christian basti area on GS Road on July 10.
Assam: TV journo covering molestation episode quits job
'Molestation victim had burn marks from cigarettes'
'Journalist instigated molestation of girl, filmed it'
Molestation case: Gogoi sets 48-hour deadline for police