Guwahati: Eighteen-year-old Mridumudra Deka, who was critically injured in the brutal assault in Assam’s Nalbari district on May 30, died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) on Thursday after battling for her life for more than a month. Her death has raised the toll in the case to two.
Mridumudra had been undergoing treatment at GMCH since she was referred there in critical condition following the attack at Gangapur under Mukalmua. Despite prolonged medical intervention, she succumbed to her injuries on July 3.
The assault had earlier claimed the life of 19-year-old Madhurjya Barman, a resident of Balipathar in Chamata and Assistant General Secretary of the West Nalbari Regional Students Union. He died at the scene after sustaining grievous injuries.
According to police, Mridumudra and Madhurjya were returning home on a scooter from Nalbari town when they were allegedly intercepted and attacked by Roz Ali on the night of May 30. The victims were later found lying in a pool of blood by the roadside. While Madhurjya was declared dead on the spot, Mridumudra was rushed to a nearby hospital before being shifted to GMCH for advanced treatment.
The incident triggered widespread outrage across Nalbari, with student bodies, civil society organisations and local residents staging protests and demanding immediate action against those involved.
The case also attracted public attention after certain groups attempted to associate the incident with allegations of “love jihad”. However, investigators have not established any such angle, and Assam Police has not officially confirmed any motive behind the attack.
With Mridumudra’s death, demands for a speedy investigation and expeditious prosecution have intensified.
Meanwhile, the prime accused, Roz Ali, was killed in a police encounter conducted by Assam Police in Mukalmua during the course of the investigation.