13 held for lynching All Assam Students’ Union leader

Guwahati: Thirteen people, including the key accused, have been arrested in connection with the alleged lynching of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) leader Animesh Bhuyan in Jorhat city.

The students’ body has announced to continue their protests until the perpetrators were given “exemplary punishment”.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asked the police to file a charge-sheet within a month for a speedy trial of the case in a fast-track court and directed Special Director General of Police, Law and Order G. P. Singh to personally supervise the case and take prompt actions against the attackers.

A magisterial probe was also ordered into Monday’s horrific incident.

On the instructions of the Chief Minister, Education Minister Ranoj Pegu visited Bhuyan’s house in Dergaon on Tuesday and assured the family of according strict punishment to the perpetrators.

The Chief Minister also announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh for the family of the 30-year-old AASU leader.

According to police, on Monday around 50 people following an argument attacked AASU leader Animesh Bhuyan, his associate Pranay Datta, and journalist Mridusmanta Baruah when they tried to assist an elderly accident victim while many people were onlookers, who did nothing to stop the lynching and others captured the incident on their mobile phones.

Police said that the prime accused Neeraj Das and 12 others have so far been arrested and a probe is on.

Das was earlier arrested in a drugs trading case and was out on bail while there are few other cases pending against him. Bhuyan, 30, was the Education Secretary of the Brahmaputra Anchalik Committee under the Golaghat district unit of the AASU.

AASU chief advisor Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharya and president Dipanka Kumar Nath also visited the family of the slain leader on Tuesday. Bhattacharya, while talking to the media, urged the state government to take the full responsibility of Bhuyan’s family.

Nath said that in the recent past, at least three lynching incidents have taken place in Jorhat and surrounding areas. Sadly, the law enforcing agencies are not taking appropriate actions against the attackers. “We remain alert so that no lapse takes place in probing the case. We would not keep quiet until the attackers are given exemplary punishments,” the AASU leader said.

Various units of the AASU oorganised protests across the state on Tuesday demanding justice for Bhuyan.

Strongly condemning the incident, various leaders, political parties and organisations, including the youth wing of the ruling BJP, Congress, Anchalik Gana Morcha, Raijor Dal, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti have urged the government to take exemplary and speedy actions against the culprits.