RESUBELPARA, July 7: Emotions ran high on Thursday in North Garo Hills after people from all walks of life and different age groups came together to protest against the assault of a Dainadubi-based teacher, purportedly by Dudhnoi police under Goalpara in Assam.
On July 4, Mousumi Momin was assaulted allegedly by policewoman Mamta Joshi at the behest of SI Bishnu Bahadur Newar over a complaint against her husband, Sengkal Marak, by a coal merchant Dhrubananda Choudhary of Goalpara.
The SI was apparently agitated after Sengkal left the Police Station for tea and did not return after the latter was informed by a well-wisher that he had become a target for the SI, who was reportedly adamant on extracting money from him.
The brutal assault of Sengkal’s wife, who is a teacher by profession, did not go down well with the locals who, despite the suspension of the Assam cops, are now demanding strictest punishment against them, including the termination of their service.
On Thursday, the general public along with various pressure groups took to the streets, condemning the police high-handedness.
“We condemn the assault of a teacher and a woman from our village and demand that those responsible for the incident are terminated. We are not happy with the suspension. Their uniforms need to be taken off so that such actions are not repeated. This is not right according to law and we are protesting against this excessive and unlawful action of the cops,” said AHAM president Nirmal Sangma.
It may be mentioned that at least 20 pressure groups were part of the protest along with teachers, women, men and children.
Nirmal added that this is not the only issue with. He said the overzealous police teams in Assam only target those in ML-registered vehicles.
“College-going children are stopped on a daily basis and their bike licenses checked. Even if they have papers, the police in Assam (Damra and Dudhnoi) demand money from them. This is going to soon turn into a flashpoint in the border areas. We urge the CM of Assam Himanta Biswa Sarma to take stringent action. No other places on the highway are stopped more than in these two places and harassed,” said Nirmal.
“This has become a common situation in not only our state and Assam but the entire India. People are scared of approaching the police as they become targets if they wish to complain. It seems instead of the police maintaining law, the public are the ones who have to educate them on the same. This is becoming too much of a common sight,” said social activist Jaynie Sangma in her speech.
NZ GSU general secretary Walseng Sangma felt that such acts have to be condemned and protested against.
Seeking action against those responsible for the assault of Mousumi, Walseng said, “It can happen to anyone of us. Yesterday it was someone, today it could be someone else and tomorrow it could be another. We have to get the message across that such atrocities will not be tolerated.”
As per information received, both cops, who were involved in the incident, have been arrested under various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
