Meghalaya police on Saturday arrested a 35-year-old lance naik of Assam Police’s 18th Armed Police Battalion for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl in Ri-Bhoi district earlier this week. The accused, identified as Projen Langthasa, was arrested from Lumding, Assam, and brought to Nongpoh after a police team tracked him down on August 29. He had fled from a village under Block-II near Mawlasnai police outpost, where the alleged assault took place on August 27. “He was initially caught by villagers for the sexual assault but managed to escape,” Ri-Bhoi Superintendent of Police Vivekanand Singh Rathore said. A case has been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at Nongpoh Women Police Station. Rathore said the investigation is progressing swiftly, with efforts underway to submit a chargesheet soon. “We will ensure the trial is completed at the earliest to secure justice for the victim. Proceedings will also be initiated without delay to provide compensation as per law to the victim by the state government,” Rathore added. Meghalaya police thanked their Assam counterparts for their cooperation in tracing and arresting the accused.