Guwahati: Assam Police have arrested three individuals in connection with the brutal murder of 48-year-old Beena Ingtipi from Longku under Umrangso Police Station, the industrial hub of Dima Hasao district. Police said five employees of L&T Construction Company, working on the Lower Kopili Hydroelectric Project, were allegedly involved in the crime. While three have been apprehended, two accused remain absconding.
The arrested have been identified as Stephen Hanse of Longku (Umrangso), Rabindra Rana of Nepal, and Abdul Rahman of Barpeta. Police confirmed they are being interrogated, while efforts are on to nab the remaining two. Additional SP Luit Talukdar said, “We are confident of nabbing the remaining accused soon. The medical report will reveal the full extent of the crime. L&T authorities are extending full cooperation.”
Local villagers, however, allege that Ingtipi was raped before being murdered. Tension escalated on Friday when, after news of the arrests, villagers gathered at the Longku police outpost demanding that the accused be handed over to them. The protest turned volatile, forcing senior police officials, including SSP Mayank Kumar, Additional SP Luit Talukdar, and Additional SP (Crime) Faruk Ahmed, to rush to the spot. Authorities assured the public that the remaining culprits would be arrested at the earliest, which helped defuse the situation.
Following the outrage, villagers declared that all construction activities by L&T would remain suspended until every accused was brought to justice. The company has since agreed to temporarily halt its operations.
The case has sent shockwaves across the district. Ingtipi, who had gone missing on August 13 evening after closing her shop near the project site, was found dead the next night in a forested area behind Longku Sakpuro LP School. Her body, recovered after police tracked her mobile phone, bore multiple injuries, including severe head wounds.
The murder has not only shaken local residents but also ignited widespread outrage across Dima Hasao, with growing calls for swift and stringent justice.
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