GUWAHATI: The Deka Satradhikar of Salaguri Satra in Assam's Sivasagar district has been arrested after a 19-year-old complainant accused him of sexually assaulting him over a period of nearly four years, beginning when the survivor was a minor.
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The accused, Kirti Kamal Dev Goswami, was taken into custody by Sivasagar Police on Wednesday, july 8, following an inquiry into the complaint. Police reportedly questioned him for nearly seven hours before making the arrest.
According to the complaint, the alleged abuse began in 2022 and continued for several years. The complainant, who is known locally for portraying female characters in traditional Bhaona performances, alleged that he was repeatedly subjected to sexual assault by the accused during this period.
The survivor further alleged that Goswami recorded private videos of him on a mobile phone. He also claimed that when he approached the accused's parents about the matter, they allegedly threatened him and offered him money in an attempt to prevent him from reporting the abuse.
According to the reports, seeking legal intervention, the complainant approached the Sivasagar Child Welfare Committee (CWC) on July 6, following which the matter was brought to the attention of the police.
Police have registered a case against Goswami under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Officials said provisions relating to unnatural offences under the applicable law have also been invoked in the case.
According to the media reports, The accused was produced before the competent court on Thursday, July 9. At the time of filing this report, Sivasagar Police had not issued an official statement on the arrest.
Further investigation is underway.