Lathi-charge as Protesters Attack Vehicles in Zubeen Death Case
As police vehicles carrying the accused reached the jail premises, a large crowd demanding justice for Zubeen Garg gathered and began pelting stones at the convoy. Several vehicles, including a police van, were badly damaged in the attack.
Guwahati: Violence broke out and chaos prevailed in Assam’s Baksa on Wednesday when an angry mob resorted to stone pelting on a convoy of police carrying five of the people arrested in connection with singer Zubeen Garg’s death. The violence that soon engulfed the area forced the state administration to suspend mobile internet services in the district with immediate effect.
The convoy was taking them to the newly inaugurated Baksa District Jail on Wednesday afternoon after a local court in Guwahati remanded them to judicial custody.
The five include two who have been named as the prime accused in the case---Northeast India Festival organizer Shyamkanu Mahanta and deceased singer’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, who had both been arrested on October 1.
The other three were Mr Garg’s cousin, Assam Police Service Officer Sandipan Garg – who had accompanied him to Singapore and was with him on the yacht outing, and who had been arrested on October 8 – and the two Personal Security Officers who had been attached to Mr Garg – Nandeswar Bora and Paresh Baishya – who had been arrested on October 10.
As police vehicles carrying the accused reached the jail premises, a large crowd demanding justice for Zubeen Garg gathered and began pelting stones at the convoy. Several vehicles, including a police van, were badly damaged in the attack.
Even after repeated appeals of police, tension continued to prevail outside the Baksa district jail premises as angry fans of the late singer resorted to stone and slippers pelting, attempting to storm the jail premises. Protesters alleged that the state government was shielding the accused by transferring them to a prison with no inmates and modern amenities.
Citing safety concerns, the court had directed that they should be lodged in a jail with fewer prisoners. Authorities accordingly shifted them to Baksa Jail, which was inaugurated only two months ago and remains unoccupied.
Meanwhile, senior police officers have rushed to Baksa and additional forces including personnel of Rapid Action Force have reached the jail premises to control the situation. The district administration has implemented a prohibitory order banning the gathering of more than five people in the district.
The additional chief secretary Ajay Tewari in a notification stated that the government of Assam through the District Magistrate, Baksa received a report that there is a serious law and order situation that has arisen in Baksa district. In the notification he also observed that there is serious apprehension that there might be a likelihood of breach of public peace and tranquility owing to public unrest near the district Jail, Baksa.
“The government of Assam apprehending that social media and internet may be used to further spread inflammatory messages, rumours etc. that may lead to further aggravation
of the situation,” stating that the government notification said that therefore in the interest of maintaining greater public peace and tranquility and to prevent any deterioration of the present situation, the government has decided to prohibit internet/Mobile Data Service of all Mobile Services with immediate effect.
