Guwahati SSP transferred, Alka Lamba removed from NCW panel

Guwahati's top police officer was today shunted out following public outrage over the molestation of a teenaged girl outside a pub here and his controversial comments over the incident, in which one more arrest was made.

City SSP Apurba Jiban Baruah, who had termed the class XI student's ordeal as a stray incident that was hyped by the national media, has been transferred to Dibrugarh and replaced by SP of that city Arabinda Kalita, official sources said.

The transfer followed the demand by the National Commission for Women for the removal of Baruah and public outrage over the incident.

The NCW itself courted controversy with Congress leader Alka Lamba removed from a fact finding team of the panel that went to Guwahati for making public the victim's identity.
"... It was wrong on her part to publicise the name of the victim. That is the reason she was removed," NCW Chairperson Mamta Sharma told PTI in Delhi.

Meanwhile, another accused in case was arrested, taking the number of those apprehended to eight.

"Today we arrested Rupkanta Kalita from Nalbari and search operations are on in Guwahati and nearby areas, including Meghalaya where the other three other main accused may have taken refuge," a senior official said.

Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi met the girl and assured the government will provide all protection and help for her rehabilitation. He also announced that the case will be handed over to CID. He said key accused Amarjyoti Kalita was traced to Bhubaneswar but Odisha Police said their Assam counterpart were yet to contact them on the matter.

Gogoi also slammed the local news channel that aired the footage of the molestation saying its role was "unethical".

The issue rocked the state assembly as well with Opposition AIUDF, AGP and BJP staging walkouts after the Speaker disallowed an adjournment motion to discuss the issue.