- Seven people, including a private bar manager, were arrested in Guwahati over a woman's alleged assault
- The incident occurred late Thursday night at a club in Khanapara, Guwahati, police said
- Police registered a case after viral videos showed the alleged assault and began an investigation
Police have arrested seven people, including the manager of a private bar in Guwahati and women bouncers, after a woman was allegedly stripped and assaulted by employees of the establishment.
The arrests were made after police took note of viral social media videos purportedly showing the alleged assault, and registered a case on their own.
The incident reportedly took place late Thursday night at a club located on the fourth floor of a building in the Khanapara area in Guwahati. The establishment was found locked after videos of the alleged assault began circulating online.
Those arrested include the bar manager, event manager and other employees associated with the establishment.
The arrested persons have been identified as bar manager Justin D Areng, event manager Nekibur Zaman Sarkar, front office executive Jhumpa Sinha, and Usha Devi, Manju Das, Gaurav Mahanta, and Dino Sona.
Dispur Police Station officer in charge Bhaskar Malla Patowary, during a media interaction, said there were a total of 10 persons who have been linked with the assault. A search was on to locate three more individuals involved in the case.
One of the videos shows the woman lying on the floor of the building's parking area, where two women appear to assault her. Several other people are also visible in the footage. Police are examining the videos to establish their authenticity and reconstruct the sequence of events.
According to preliminary findings, a confrontation inside the club triggered the incident. The woman was allegedly taken from the club premises towards the lower level of the building, where the alleged assault continued.
CCTV footage and other evidence from the premises have been collected to establish what happened and to piece together the complete sequence of events. Police said the individual roles of the arrested persons are being examined as part of the ongoing probe.
"Based on the inquiry, we registered a case under Sections 726 and 26 of the relevant law. Two of the persons allegedly involved in the incident were arrested today and have been sent for further legal proceedings," Patowary told reporters.
The identity of the woman, who reportedly sustained serious injuries, has been ascertained by the police. However, officials have decided not to disclose her identity at this stage, citing the ongoing investigation.
Police have also been questioning several employees of the private club, including its manager, as part of the probe.
The premises were reportedly found with several liquor bottles scattered inside following the incident.
Investigators are examining the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault and are questioning those present at the club at the time of the incident.
Police are also looking into allegations that attempts were made by the club authorities to suppress or conceal details of the incident.
