BY TC News Desk
Agartala, 23rd December 2025: The body of Ranjit Pal Chowdhury (55), the prime accused in the rape of a minor girl and who had been evading arrest, was found hanging under mysterious circumstances in a jungle near Chandrapur under the Dharmanagar police station on Tuesday.
According to police sources, the deceased was a resident of East Hurua village. He was accused of allegedly raping a Class VI student in the underground section of a shop on December 17. Following the incident, Chowdhury had been absconding.
The local community had been protesting demanding his arrest. On Monday, residents of East Hurua had blocked roads, putting pressure on the police and giving them a two-day ultimatum to apprehend the accused.
The discovery was made on Tuesday afternoon. Family members and relatives, who were searching for Chowdhury based on information that he was in the Chandrapur area, could not pinpoint his location. During their extensive search of houses and jungles, along with local labourers, they stumbled upon his body hanging from a tree in a wooded area.
Upon receiving the information, his wife, son, and other relatives rushed to the spot. A police team from Dharmanagar police station, including a forensic team and Additional SP Kamal Debbarma, also arrived at the scene.
An investigation has been launched to determine the exact cause and circumstances surrounding his death. The incident has created a palpable tension in the area.
Police officials informed the media that the body has been sent to the Dharmanagar District Hospital for post-mortem examination. It will be handed over to the family after the procedure is completed.
Local sources, however, indicate that although Chowdhury was from East Hurua, he had been hiding at a known acquaintance’s house in West Chandrapur, which is at least 10-12 kilometers away from his own residence.
