A Congress worker, Mridul Islam, lost his life on Wednesday following a massive protest organized by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) in Guwahati.
The demonstration, part of the nationwide “Raj Bhavan Chalo” campaign, turned violent when police deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Advertisement
Islam, an advocate by profession, participated in the protest, which addressed a range of issues, including the installation of smart meters, the BJP-led government’s refusal to discuss the Manipur crisis in Parliament, corruption allegations against the Adani Group, and the proposed “One Nation, One Election” Bill.
The protest began at around 11 am, with hundreds of Congress members and supporters marching towards the Raj Bhavan at Kharguli.
Demonstrators carried microphones, placards, and flags, chanting slogans such as “BJP go back,” “Adani, down down,” and “Remove smart meters.”
The march was halted near the IOCL Water Intake Plant, where police resorted to tear gas shelling to disperse the protesters.
Islam, exposed to the tear gas, was rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) for treatment but succumbed to his injuries, confirmed Bedabrata Borah, head of the Congress’ media cell.
In the aftermath, several top Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Debabrata Saikia, APCC Chief Bhupen Borah, senior leader Ripun Bora, and others, were detained by the police. Many protesters were reportedly loaded onto buses and taken to undisclosed locations.
APCC Chief Bhupen Borah condemned the police action, describing it as a “blatant display of police dadagiri.” He vowed that Congress would “uproot the lotus from Assam and India.”
The tragic death of Mridul Islam has sparked widespread outrage among congress workers, with leaders and supporters demanding accountability for the police action.
