Guwahati, 24 Aug

The prime accused in the rape of a minor girl allegedly escaped from police custody, jumped into a pond and died on Saturday morning at Dhing in Assam's Nagaon district, police said.

The villagers of Borbheti, the family home of the accused, have taken a decision not to participate in his funeral prayers and not allow his burial in the village graveyard.

Nagaon Superintendent of Police Swapneel Deka told reporters that the accused, who was arrested on Friday, was taken handcuffed to the location where the crime was allegedly committed for a re-creation of the crime scene around 3.30 am. "The accused hit out at a policeman, escaped from police custody and jumped into the pond'', Deka said.

The SDRF was immediately informed, a search operation was launched and his body was recovered after nearly two hours, he added. The policeman was also injured and admitted to a hospital, the SP said.

The other two accused are still absconding and search was continuing with raids conducted at several places on Friday night.

The 14-year-old girl was allegedly raped by three persons who came on a motorcycle and surrounded her while she was returning home from tuition on her bicycle at Dhing on Thursday evening.

She was left injured and unconscious on the roadside near a pond, before being rescued by locals who informed police.

Meanwhile, villagers of Borbheti held a meeting on Saturday morning and took three decisions regarding the crime committed by the youth. ''We have decided not to allow his burial in the village graveyard, not participate in his 'janaza' (burial prayers) and social boycott of his family'', a village elder Md Shahjahan Ali Choudhury told PTI. ''The village youth's crime has shamed us and we cannot allow his burial in the community graveyard'', he added.

Meanwhile, a march was also taken out from the village mosque to protest against the incident. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had said on Friday that stern action will be taken against the culprits.

Sarma, who is currently touring the three districts in Barak Valley, had said on Friday night that there is a difference between Assam and Bengal in dealing with such cases.

''In Bengal, when women are tortured, the criminals are protected and police take suspicious actions. In Assam, a horrific crime was committed against a minor girl, the accused was immediately arrested'', he said.

Sarma said that he had immediately directed the state Director General of Police to go to the spot and investigate the incident.

A minister was also sent who enquired about the health condition of the victim who is currently recovering in a Nagaon hospital.

Police had arrested one person and detained another while search was on to nab the third. Director General of Police GP Singh had reviewed the progress of the investigations on Friday.