20 days on, still no closure: Fresh protest erupt over missing woman’s body in Demow
The NDRF & SDRF personnel who had carried out searches, called off their operations after the body was not recovered;
Sivasagar, April 2: Frustration boiled over in Demow village on Wednesday as locals staged fresh protests, demanding a swift resolution to the search for Bina Konwar Dehingia’s body.
Twenty days have passed since the mother of two went missing—allegedly murdered by her husband—yet authorities have made no breakthrough in recovering her remains.
Led by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and Sadou Asom Mahila Samiti, the protest saw scores of women from neighbouring villages marching with placards and chanting slogans against the administration’s perceived inaction.
“The local administration is moving at a snail’s pace. When her husband has confessed to the murder and even admitted to disposing of her body in the Demow river, what is causing the delay?” a protester questioned while speaking to The Assam Tribune.
Another concerned resident expressed fears about the lack of conclusive evidence, saying, “We have not seen her body. What if she is alive and has been trafficked?”
Earlier on March 14, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) launched extensive search operations in the Demow river to recover Konwar Dehingia’s body.
Given the vastness of the river, local police sought additional manpower, including deep divers and more boats from nearby districts but unable to retrieve the body, the operation was called off four days ago, on March 29.
Konwar Dehingia was first reported missing on March 14. Villagers soon accused her husband, Basanta Dehingia, of murdering her and disposing of the body.
During interrogation, he reportedly confessed to committing the crime on March 12 and was subsequently remanded into police custody.
Public outrage has been brewing since the initial investigation. On March 19, a massive protest erupted outside the Demow police station, with demonstrators blocking National Highway 37 for five hours, demanding urgent efforts to locate Konwar Dehingia.
Following discussions with authorities, the blockade was lifted, but protesters had set a deadline for the administration to provide answers—dead or alive.
With no breakthrough in the case, Wednesday’s protests signalled the community’s mounting frustration. Demonstrators have warned of intensified agitation if authorities continue to drag their feet in resolving the case.
