Thursday, April 3, 2025

Assam sets up SIT to probe Guwahati violence

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Conspiracy hatched to set Secretariat ablaze; Have evidence of Cong link: Himanta

GUWAHATI: The Assam government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) led by a state CID officer to probe the cases of violence recently committed in the city.

Addressing the media here on Tuesday evening, Assam minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma said a five-member team led by DIG (CID), Mridulananda Sarma was constituted to investigate the incidents of vandalism and arson in front of the Assam Secretariat and at Sankardeva Kalakshetra here. “We will request the Centre to depute a CBI or NIA official in the SIT for six months,” Sarma said.

“So far, 273 people have been arrested out of the 200 cases (of vandalism, arson, burning of government property in the city and attempt to murder) registered. Of the 107 persons arrested in Guwahati, roughly 50 per cent (48 persons) had come from Barpeta, Dhubri and Goalpara districts,” he said.

The minister further pointed out that according to evidence with the government, a conspiracy was hatched to set the Assam Secretariat on fire (on December 11).

“Based on video footage and photographs of the incident at Assam Secretariat on December 11, a leader of the Assam Pradesh Youth Congress might have incited the vandalism and arson committed near the Secretariat on that day. The entire exercise might have been pre-planned as a Facebook post of a lady Congress member from Nagaon and close to an MP, had asked people to assemble at 9.30am in front of the second gate of the Secretariat that day,” Sarma said.

“We also have evidence that the entire exercise (attack on Secretariat) was monitored and controlled by an academic from Assam who is not a known intellectual and working in a central government organisation. So a conspiracy was hatched to set ablaze the Secretariat which we will expose later. We also have information that PFI (formerly SIMI) activists might be involved as well,” the minister said.

Sarma however clarified that the “pre-planned attack” had no link with the AASU-led democratic agitation against the Citizenship Amendment Act. “I will go to New Delhi tomorrow to meet Union home minister Amit Shah and apprise him in this regard,” he said.

It may be mentioned that the minister had on Monday pointed out the possible involvement of a NSUI leader in the Kalakshetra vandalism case.

Mobile internet

Sarma said the decision to resume mobile Internet services would be taken after a review of the security situation in the city on Thursday. “The Gauhati High Court had asked us to resume the services from Tuesday if possible after consultation with security agencies. But going by the deep-rooted conspiracy, our intelligence agencies advised us against re-starting the service today. However, broadband services have resumed from today,” he said.

Employees’ cease work

The minister said the government would not order any pay cut to allow the state government employees (under SAKP) to stage the cease work (against CAA) on Wednesday. “The absence would be adjusted as Casual Leave. However, we request the employees not to take part in the agitation during duty hours from Thursday onwards. Besides, we will take action against employees taking part in protests staged under a political party,” Sarma said.

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