Woman gangraped, murdered; 3 construction workers arrested, villagers halt Kopili hydropower project in protest

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaAugust 16, 2025

The brutal gangrape and murder of a 48-year-old shopkeeper from Dima Hasao district, Assam has triggered widespread outrage and forced a halt to work at the state’s flagship Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project.

The woman went missing on the night of August 13 after closing her shop. Her body, bearing multiple injuries, was found in a forest late on August 14. Villagers alleged she was sexually assaulted before being killed, though police said medical confirmation was awaited.

Police quickly identified five suspects, all linked to Larsen & Toubro’s construction work at the project. Three men — Stephen Hanse of Longku, Rabindra Rana of Nepal, and Abdul Rahman of Barpeta district — were arrested on August 15. Two more remain at large. “We are committed to bringing all those responsible to justice,” said Additional SP Luit Talukdar.

The arrests did little to calm tensions. Hundreds of villagers stormed the Longku police outpost on Friday, demanding the accused be handed over to them. The protests soon escalated into a blockade of the Lower Kopili project site, halting operations. “They killed one of our sisters. Why should we wait years for justice?” one villager said.

District officials rushed to pacify the crowd, assuring fast-tracked investigations, but residents have vowed to keep the blockade until all culprits are punished. L&T, in a statement, expressed sorrow, pledged cooperation with the police, and confirmed suspension of operations.

The incident has also sparked political backlash. Indigenous People’s Party (IPP) president Rajen Timung condemned the crime, linking it to corporate intrusion in tribal lands. He accused authorities of undermining Sixth Schedule protections and warned, “Outsider companies in our ancestral lands threaten both our rights and our safety. Tribal people must unite to resist such exploitation.”

The woman’s relatives described her as a hardworking and gentle woman who ran her shop to support her family. “She harmed no one. To die in such a brutal way is unimaginable,” a cousin said, as the district grappled with grief and anger.