new delhi, Sept 11
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has described the incident in Dhubri, where police action against protesting students turned violent, as “unfortunate” and assured strict measures against those responsible.
Addressing the media, Sarma said that accountability would be ensured at every level. “Last night, I asked Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah to review the situation, and the officer-in-charge has been suspended. An inquiry has been ordered and will be completed within five days. Strict action will be taken against any police officer who uses excessive force, whether it is the SP or a junior officer. Anyone found responsible will face consequences,” he said.
The Chief Minister’s remarks come amid mounting criticism from opposition leaders and indigenous groups over allegations of police excesses during a student protest in Golakganj.
Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi condemned the incident, calling it “brutal” and accusing the state government of showing disregard for the rights of indigenous communities.
“This shameful incident exposes the Assam Government’s indifference towards indigenous people and youth. The young generation deserves dignity, dialogue, and opportunity, not suppression,” Gogoi stated. The protest, led by the All Assam Koch Rajbongshi Students’ Union (AARKSU), was part of their long-standing movement demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for the Koch-Rajbongshi community and the creation of a separate Kamatapur state. The Koch-Rajbongshis, spread across lower Assam, North Bengal, and adjoining areas of Bihar and Bangladesh, have been agitating for decades, arguing that their cultural identity and socio-economic development remain neglected without constitutional safeguards.
On Thursday, normal life in the Dhubri district came to a halt as AARKSU enforced a 12-hour bandh. The shutdown was near total, with schools, colleges, businesses, and transportation services coming to a standstill.
National and state highways wore a deserted look, disrupting the daily lives of commuters and small traders.
Thursday’s bandh adds to a history of protests by AARKSU, which has spearheaded multiple agitations in the past to press for ST status and the Kamatapur demand.
