Police personnel use tear gas to disperse protestors during the Congress's 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest, as part of its nationwide demonstration over several issues including indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani by a US court in a bribery case, in Guwahati, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (PTI Photo)
GUWAHATI — A Congress worker was killed and
several others were injured in tear gas shell smoke during a protest on
Wednesday against a range of issues, including unrest in Manipur and bribery
charges against Adani Group, the party claimed.
A senior
police officer, however, said the exact reason for the death will be known
after the post-mortem examination report comes, and denied that anyone was
injured in the incident.
Police and
Congress supporters were engaged in a scuffle, in which Assam Congress chief
Bhupen Kumar Borah and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora fell on the ground, and
were detained. They were released later.
Police personnel use tear gas to disperse protestors during the Congress's 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest, as part of its nationwide demonstration over several issues including indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani by a US court in a bribery case, in Guwahati, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (PTI Photo)
Congress
Legal Cell member Advocate Mridul Islam (45) felt suffocated when a tear gas
cell fell near him, party spokesperson Bedabrat Bora claimed.
"He
was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital and then to the Gauhati
Medical College and Hospital (GMCH). He was declared dead there," he
added.
After
visiting the GMCH, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah said, "The
tear gas shells were not fired. Police only rolled three shells on the road so
that smoke would come out and people would disperse."
Several
media persons, including senior journalist Amarendra Deka and his camera
person, were injured and were being treated at the GMCH, the Congress
spokesperson said.
"Around
10 people were injured and they are receiving treatment at GMCH. In my
political career, I have never seen such a huge and ruthless police presence to
stop a democratic protest, which was going to submit a memorandum only,"
he added.
According
to visuals on local media channels, the Congress chief and a few of the
protesters were apparently pushed over the barricades by the police while they
were trying to cross over.
The police
commissioner said the Congress did not even seek permission for the 'Raj Bhavan
gherao' protest, in which over 1,000 people took part.
"We
had deployed an adequate number of police personnel and erected three
barricades. The protestors broke two barricades and went to the third one.
There was no lathi-charge or force used. Only we rolled the tear gas
shells," Barah said.
He claimed
that the magisterial inquest conducted on the deceased found no external injury
and "the exact reason will be known only after the post-mortem examination
report comes".
The Congress
on Tuesday had formally intimated the Guwahati Police Commissioner about the
protest programme and it was duly received by his office. A copy of the signed
receipt is available with PTI.
The
opposition party took out the protest march as part of a nation-wide programme.
They marched against ethnic clashes in Manipur, bribery charges against the
business conglomerate Adani Group and installation of 'smart meters' for electricity
connections in Assam.
The
Congress, meanwhile, filed a complaint at Latasil police station against the
death of Islam due to "excessive use of tear gas" and demanded a
thorough investigation into the incident.
Terming it
as a "homicidal death amounting to murder", the party sought
compensation for the family of the deceased.
Police personnel use tear gas to disperse protestors during the Congress's 'Raj Bhavan Chalo' protest, as part of its nationwide demonstration over several issues including indictment of industrialist Gautam Adani by a US court in a bribery case, in Guwahati, Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024. (PTI Photo)