Congress worker killed, several injured in tear gas incident during protest in Guwahati; Video

Guwahati, December 18: A Congress worker was killed and several others were injured by smoke from tear gas shells during protests on Wednesday over a range of issues including unrest in Manipur and bribery allegations against the Adani Group, the party claimed.

However, a senior police officer said that the exact cause of death would be known after the post-mortem report and denied that anyone was injured in the incident.

A scuffle broke out between police and Congress supporters, in which Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Bora and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora fell on the ground and were taken into custody. Later he was released.

Party spokesperson Bedabrata Bora claimed that Congress legal cell member Advocate Mridul Islam (45) felt suffocated when a tear gas cylinder fell near him.

“He was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital and then to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). There he was declared brought dead,” he said.

After visiting the GMCH, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said, “Tear gas shells were not fired. The police only fired three shells on the road so that smoke would come out and people would disperse.”

The Congress spokesperson said several media persons, including senior journalist Amarendra Deka and his cameraperson, were injured and are being treated at GMCH.

He said, “Around 10 people were injured and are undergoing treatment at GMCH. In my political career, I have never seen such a huge and brutal police presence to stop a democratic protest which was just going to hand over a memorandum.” “

According to visuals from local media channels, the Congress chief and some protesters were apparently pushed past the barricades by police when they tried to cross. The Police Commissioner said that the Congress had not even taken permission for the 'Raj Bhavan siege' protest, in which more than 1,000 people had participated.

Barah said, “We had deployed adequate number of police personnel and set up three barricades. The protesters broke two barricades and moved to the third. No lathi charge or force was used. Only we fired tear gas shells. “

He claimed that the magisterial inquiry conducted on the deceased did not find any external injuries and “the exact cause will be known only after the post-mortem investigation report comes”.

The Congress had formally informed the Guwahati Police Commissioner about the protest schedule on Tuesday and it was duly received by his office. A copy of the signed receipt is available with PTI.

The opposition party took out a protest march as part of a nationwide programme. They marched against caste clashes in Manipur, bribery allegations against business conglomerate Adani Group and the installation of 'smart meters' for electricity connections in Assam.

Meanwhile, the Congress lodged a complaint at Latasil police station against Islam's death due to “excessive use of tear gas” and demanded a thorough investigation into the incident. Terming it as “murder tantamount to murder”, the party demanded compensation for the family of the deceased.

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