The Case of Bina Engtipi: Yet Another Murder, Yet Another Tragedy As Trivia?

Was Bina Engtipi raped or murdered, or was she (gang) raped and then murdered? questions that have been raised through the Longku Rongkhalang village in Dima Hasao district. The wave of questions has reached its crest in the most natural way, as recovering the dead body of a woman who went missing for a day would have created amongst her relatives and fellow villagers. However, the crest is very likely to move to the trough as in the cases of many Binas—missing, rapes, murders and then everything into the cold storage. Well, in some cases, there have been arrests and convictions, but the continuation of such horrific incidents leads to renewed spark of the old questions—can anything compensate for the lives of many Binas that have gone into oblivion? How many more Binas will we continue to see?

Local activists and political leaders have raised questions on the Dima Hasao police as well as the ruling dispensation of the autonomous district council, terming it as one of the worst time for the Hill district’s law and order and a haven for criminals and mafias. Well, we will discuss over their remarks and observations a little later. First, let’s see the case of Bina Engtipi.

The Bina Engtipi’s Case

Bina Engtipi led a humble life running a tea shop near an L&T Construction site, which she opens at 8 AM daily to sell tea and parathas. Her primary customers used to be the employees and workers of the L&T Construction work and after serving them till 5 PM, Bina usually prepares her journey back home. 

But on August 12, Bina didn’t reach home by the time she usually does. Her son said in the media that after his mother didn’t reach home till late at night, he with his friends went searching for her twice-- at 9 PM and at midnight. Bina’s phone was ringing incessantly, but there was no response. 

After an exasperated night, Bina’s son went out to search for his mother again and at the end, they approached the Umrangso police station. The police later recovered her dead body in a jungle—a bolt that was waiting for the family, enough to shatter them entirely.

Pratidin Time tried to reach out to the I/C Umrangso but failed to contact, even after several attempts. However, Romesh Kathar, the Dima Hasao district president of APHLC (All Party Hills Leaders Conference), who followed the case, narrated the whole story—“Bina Engtipi’s body was recovered on the 13th morning at Longku Sokpuru behind a government school after she went missing on 12th. This was a dense forested patch.”

As Romesh told us, Bina Engtipi used to walk from her village to her shop every morning, which is at a distance of around 1.5/2 kilometers at the L&T construction site and return home on foot. 

Notably, the L&T site is the lower Kopili Hydro Power Project. “Bina’s husband Hemry Terang is the GP (Gaon Pradhan) of the village and her elder son is Marshal Terang. Bina was above her 40s at the time of her death”—Romesh added. 

Arrested Include Civil Engineer From MP, One from Nepal

Romesh Kathar said that police has arrested 5 suspects, two of them today and rest on 13th August. All of them are working at the L&T project site. 

As Romesh said, the arrested include Aryan Chouwdhury, a civil engineer hailing from Jabalpur, MP  who is working with L&T, Ravindra Rana from Nepal and working at the site recruited by civil care agency, Abdul Mannan from Barpeta, also recruited by civil care agency and working at the site as a civil superviser as well as Satya Acharjee. The last arrested is Stephen Hanse, who was working as a helper at the site is a native of the same place as Bina Engtipi. 

However, police confirmation of the details of the arrested suspects couldn’t be received as the local officials couldn’t be contacted. 

Dima Hasao Police In Question?

“While the district SP (superintendent of police) has been awarded by the CM Assam for his service this independence day, his tenure should be questioned. He is one of the longest serving SP of Dima Hasao and during this period the district sees a proliferation of crimes, syndicates and mafias. The police couldn’t register an FIR against those allegedly involve in illegal coal mining. The police is in collusion with the CEM (Chief Executive Member)—Debolal Gorlosa. The SP is very close to him and Gorlosa’s men get free hand in illegal activities”—Samarjit Haflongbar, ex-MLA of Haflong told Pratidin Time.

Agreeing to what he said, Daniel Langthasa, who was an elected member to the autonomous district council last term, added—“What we have seen is an overwhelming increase in crimes, drug trafficking in Dima Hasao.”

Langthasa, recalling his days from his childhood commented—“During our childhood, crimes like rape, drug trafficking were unheard of. But now a days, these are on rise. The police are not doing its job properly. Moreover, they appear to be quite non-cooperative in cases of crimes like missing, kidnappings and in many instances they even refuse to register an FIR.”

Muscle Power For Silencing Political & Business Rivals Used Blatantly By The Ruling Dispensation?

Leveling a serious allegation, Daniel Langthasa said—“the ruling dispensation led by Debolal Gorlosa is fully on to silencing the rivals, not only political ones, but in business as well. Take the example of Rakesh Daulaguphu, a local businessman. He has been missing. The police have failed to find him and his whereabouts. How come the SP gets awarded by the CM for his service? Daulaguphu’s case was not linked to political rivalry but that of business. Those very close to CEM Gorlosa dominate the syndicates.”

What About ‘Jipsing’ (Pondesh Sengyung) ?

Langthasa further added—“many of the ex militants are now on the ruling seats, including Gorlosa himself. What happened to Jipsing (Pondesh Sengyung), who was accused of sexually harassing several women openly on the roads of Haflong?”

Jipsing was known as the unofficial body guard of Debolal Gorlosa, Daniel said adding—“He still roams free. How can crimes don’t prosper in Dima Hasao under such police and ruling dispensation?”
 “Once our district was affected by militancy, but that was ended more than a decade back. Now many ex militants have turned the rulers and the police function only at their wish”—Daniel criticized. 

Development & Alien Culture?

Pointing to an even larger issue, Daniel said—“Rapes are alien in our culture. With the development activities, migration of workers and employees from different places are increasing here and we see a lot of these migrant company workers’ involvement in crimes like rapes and murders. There has to be a checkpoint as who are coming to the district for working in various projects.”

Also Read: Assam: Young Man Found Dead in Dibru River; Family Alleges Murder