Assam mob attack incident : Police arrest one person, BJP, Congress accuse each other
Guwahati, Apr 9 (IBNS): Assam police have arrested a person, who was allegedly involved in the mob attack incident in which a 68-year-old Muslim man was being allegedly beaten up by a mob and was forced to eat pork for selling beef in a market area in Assam’s Biswanath district.
Assam police DGP Kuladhar Saikia said that, following the incident, Assam police have arrested a person last night.
“We have taken very strong step and we don’t want such things to happen ever. A case has been already registered and proper investigation done. Last night, we have arrested one person, who involved in the incident and we are looking for the other people, who might be involved in the incident. When report of the incident came to the police station, police immediately reached the spot and rescued the victim. The incident was very unfortunate. We have instructed the district police to go investigation of the case and arrest the accused person. We also instructed the Superintendent of Police to hold some meetings with the local leaders, village people and talk to them to ensure peace formation. Assam Chief Minister is also very concerned about it,” the Assam DGP said.
An FIR has been registered at Biswanath police station vide case no 80/2019 under section 143/341/325/294 (A)/295 (A)/153 (A)(B)/384 of IPC.
The incident had happened on Apr 7.
According to the reports, Shaukat Ali, the victim, is selling cooked beef at the weekly market area for 40 years.
But on Apr 7, the elder man was thrashed by a mob and was asked how many years has he been selling beef and whether he has any licence to sell it.
Asking him about his nationality, the mob said: “Are you a Bangladeshi? Do you have your name in the NRC (National Register of Citizens)?”
The man had received serious injuries in the mob attack and was admitted to a hospital.
Meanwhile, Assam BJP alleged that Congress is behind the incident for political gains ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
“It is a very unfortunate incident and we strongly condemned it. We feel that, the Congress party has made a political conspiracy by overwhelming defeat. Our state government has taken it very seriously and will investigate,” Assam BJP spokesperson Pramod Swami said.
On the other hand, the state Congress has refuted the allegation and said that, it is an old tactics of BJP before any election.
“This is very unfortunate, shameless and barbaric incident. Assam Pradesh Congress Committee has condemned it and also urged the government that they should act properly and booked the culprits. This is BJP’s old tactics before any election. They want to use polarise politics before election for their electoral gains,” Assam Congress spokesperson Rituparna Konwar said.
On the other hand, the victim said that, he is selling cooked beef in the market for past 40 years, but never faced such a type of incident earlier.
“My father was also selling beef at that market. On that day, some youth came to the market and shoot by camera at some hotels and they left. After 2 hours they again came and picked up me forcefully and beating me. They also kicked me in my face and brutally beaten up. I received severe injuries. They fed me pork forcefully,” the victim said.
Meanwhile, the district administration has organised a meeting with the civil society groups, local people to maintain peace in the area following the incident.
(By Hemanta Kumar Nath, Guwahati)
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