Guwahati, Jul 15 (IANS): Hundreds of people, mostly women, on Sunday took out a protest rally through the streets of Guwahati demanding exemplary punishment to the culprits of the July 9 incident of molestation of a teenage girl on the streets of Guwahati.

The rally mainly called by Assam's farmers' body Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), was also supported by Nirjatan Birodhi Oikya Mancha and several other women and human rights groups.

The participants even braved rains that lashed the city since morning and shouted slogans against the failure of the state government to protect women in the city. The protestors also carried placards, which were written demanding a ban on a private news channel, News Live, for the alleged role of one its journalist in instigating the mob to strip the victim in public. The channel has denied this.

"We condemn the role being played by the police and district administration over the case. The administration took a long time to act and only six of the culprits have been arrested so far. This shows the failure of the state government to provide protection to people, particularly women," said Sumitra Hazarka, an activist.

"There are allegations that a journalist of a private news channel is involved in inciting the mob to strip the girl in public. If that is so, it is condemnable and there should be action against him too," she said adding that there must be an inquiry into the whole incident.

"There have been several cases of atrocities on women across the state and in most cases, justice remains eluded. A few days back, a woman Congress legislator of Assam -Rumi Nath was beaten up severely by mob in Karimganj town. Police including the body guards of the legislator remained mute spectators. The attackers of Rumi Nath are still absconding," said another woman protestor while adding that the situation will turn worse if the government does not act tough now.

The protest rally also shouted slogans in front of the office of News Live, located on the busy GS Road.