Nagaon (Assam), August 29: A woman in her twenties was allegedly abducted and gang-raped in Assam's Nagaon district, following which she was dumped on a national highway, police said on Wednesday.

In her complaint, the woman said she was riding pillion on a motorcycle that was driven by her male friend on Tuesday evening. He had picked her up from a roadside eatery in Lanka area, where she works, and they were travelling to Golaghat district, Nagaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Sankarbrat Roy told reporters. Nagaon is around 120 km from Guwahati.

She alleged that they were waylaid and forcibly taken away by four men in their vehicle. The woman was then driven away and her four abductors raped her at Amoni near Kalong river. They abandoned her near a petrol pump on NH 37 after she passed out, Roy said.

An oil-tanker driver spotted her and informed the police, who rushed to the spot and admitted her to the Nagaon civil hospital. She is undergoing treatment for trauma and severe injuries in her private parts. Her medical examination has also been conducted, the SP said.

The officer said the rape did not take place inside the vehicle, but outside a thinly-populated area and there might have been five-six culprits. An FIR has been registered under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 376D (gang rape), 324 (injuring with dangerous weapons).

The district additional superintendent of police, Bipul Das, has been entrusted to investigate the incident, he said, adding that an operation had been launched to nab the culprits.

The two-wheeler in which she was travelling has been recovered. A search in on to find her friend, who cannot be traced traced, the officer said.

Courtesy: www.news18.com

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New Delhi (PTI): Parliament early Friday passed the contentious Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, after it was approved by the Rajya Sabha.

The Lok Sabha had on Thursday approved the Bill after over a 12-hour debate.

In Rajya Sabha, the Bill got 128 votes in its favour and 95 against after all the amendments moved by the opposition were rejected.

In the lower house, the bill was supported by 288 MPs while 232 voted against it.

Participating in a debate in the Rajya Sabha, Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the Bill was brought with a number of amendments based on suggestions given by various stakeholders.

"The Waqf Board is a statutory body. All government bodies should be secular," the minister said, explaining the inclusion of non-Muslims on the board.

He, however, said the number of non-Muslims has been restricted to only four out of 22.

Rijiju also alleged that the Congress and other opposition parties, and not the BJP, were trying to scare Muslims with the Waqf Bill.

"You (opposition) are pushing Muslims out of the mainstream," he added.

He said for 60 years, the Congress and others ruled the country, but did not do much for Muslims and the community continues to live in poverty.

"Muslims are poor, who is responsible? You (Congress) are. Modi is now leading the government to uplift them," the minister said.

According to the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, Waqf tribunals will be strengthened, a structured selection process will be maintained, and a tenure will be fixed to ensure efficient dispute resolution.

As per the Bill, while Waqf institutions' mandatory contribution to Waqf boards is reduced from 7 per cent to 5 per cent, Waqf institutions earning over Rs 1 lakh will undergo audits by state-sponsored auditors.

A centralised portal will automate Waqf property management, improving efficiency and transparency.

The Bill proposes that practising Muslims (for at least five years) can dedicate their property to the Waqf, restoring pre-2013 rules.

It stipulates that women must receive their inheritance before the Waqf declaration, with special provisions for widows, divorced women and orphans.

The Bill proposes that an officer above the rank of collector investigate government properties claimed as Waqf.

It also proposes that non-Muslim members be included in the central and state Waqf boards for inclusivity.