Guwahati molestation: Prime accused held in Varanasi

Amarjyoti Kalita, prime accused in the Guwahati molestation case where a class XI student was molested, has reportedly surrendered in Varanasi on Monday.

According to police officials in Varanasi, a man who identified himself as Kalita surrendered to the police today.

However, police officials said they would await a team from the Guwahati police to verify his identity, CNN-IBN reported.

“We are informed by UP Police about the surrender of Kalita in Varanasi today (Monday). A team of Assam Police will leave for UP tomorrow (Tuesday) to bring him back. It might take few days time as there are some legal formalities had to be completed there,” said Additional Superintendent of Police (Operations) Ranjan Bhuyan, who is leading the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to investigate into the case.

Uttar Pradesh Police officials said Amarjyoti Kalita, who surrendered at the Lanka police station in the city, was not arrested as the crime was not committed within their jurisdiction, but the Guwahati police have been informed.

Earlier today police believed that Kalita may have gone to Kolkata. He was earlier suspected to have travelled to Mumbai.

Kalita was spotted in CCTV footage recovered from the Howarh terminus in Kolkata and was believed to have escaped to the city.

Kalita, an employee of Amtron, the IT agency of Assam government, was sacked the next day after his involvement in the GS road molestation came to light.

Kalita, who has played minor roles in a television serial on news channel Newslive, was the prime accused in the molestation case that sparked national outrage.

There have also been allegations that the Guwahati resident was acting in connivance with the television reporter who filmed the incident, though the latter has denied the claims. Both the reporter and editor of Newslive have since resigned from their posts.

Kalita’s family welcomed the news, while expressing shame over his acts.

“We are very happy that he finally surrendered to police. It was an unfortunate incident for him. He got accidentally involved with the incident. We family members are ashamed for his action,” said his elder brother Rupjyoti Kalita.

With inputs from IANS