GUWAHATI
A 16-year-old girl who was raped and murdered soon after Assam’s Class 10 exams ended on March 4 was among the 1,05,873 students who secured a first division, according to the results announced by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) on April 20
The parents of the girl had lodged a police complaint after she went missing on March 5. Her body was found in a pool of blood near the New Bongaigaon Railway Market on the night of March 8.
“A few days after her exams, she was raped and killed by a criminal, who brutally crushed her dreams and aspirations. Her parents called to say they are proud of her,” Miguel Das Queah, a Guwahati-based child rights activist said.
Crushed dreams
The parents of the girl said she had wanted to be a police officer and they tried to fulfil her dreams although they could barely afford her education.
“We know she is celebrating the fruits of her hard work, wherever she is,” a parent said.
The girl’s death had triggered a wave of protests, with the police forced to put up barricades in parts of western Assam’s Bongaigaon town. Investigation led to the arrest of a youth who had allegedly abducted the girl, held her captive and raped her, along with his friends.
Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu said that 75.7% of 4,17,078 students cleared the Class 10 exams. “The results were declared within 45 days of conducting the exams,” he said.
While 77.28% of the boys cleared the exams, the success rate of the girls was 74.41%. Transgender students had the highest success rate of 80%.
