Calcutta Telegraph: Nalbari/Guwahati: Saturday, July 07, 2012.
Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti general secretary and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi sustained serious injuries when he was allegedly assaulted by a group of Youth Congress workers at Purni village under Belsore police station in Dharmapur Assembly constituency of Nalbari district this afternoon.
Akhil, who was assaulted around 3.30pm, has been admitted to Swahid Mukunda Kakati civil hospital here with head injuries. Doctors attending on Akhil told The Telegraph that he was hit on the head but was out of danger.
The Nalbari unit of the KMSS has called a 12-hour district strike from 6am tomorrow, protesting the attack on its leader and seeking the arrest of those involved in the incident. KMSS central publicity secretary Kamal Kumar Medhi said they would launch a statewide agitation from tomorrow demanding the arrest of the culprits.
Gogoi was in Dharmapur, the constituency of agriculture minister Nilamoni Sen Deka, 20km from Nalbari town, 60km from Guwahati. He was visiting the flood-affected areas of Nalbari district, one of the worst affected with eight deaths.
Akhil told The Telegraph that a group of six youths waylaid his vehicle, pulled him out and started assaulting him. “They started abusing and beating me up with sticks immediately after pulling me out of the car. They asked me, ‘Dharmapur chini napawo na? (Don’t you know Dharmapur?)’,” Gogoi alleged.
He has identified the workers as Raju Barman, Tapan Barman, Ratul Ali, Khalilur Rahman, Bhuban Deka and Dharmapur LAC Youth Congress president Ratul Patowary.
In the hospital, Akhil even accused the agriculture minister of being involved in the attack. “The Youth Congress workers assaulted me on the instructions of Nilamoni Sen Deka. If I am wrong, why did they chant Nilamoni Sen Deka zindabad slogan just after assaulting me?” he alleged.
Akhil has lodged a complaint with the Nalbari police station in this connection and alleged misbehaviour by the police as well when he went to file the FIR.
Deka told The Telegraph in Guwahati, “I was busy with Pranab Mukherjee’s programme in the city. When I switched on my cell after the programme at Kalakshetra this evening, I came to know about the incident. I am also gathering details about who was involved and why the incident took place. But I am surprised as to how Akhil could identify the attackers as Youth Congress members. One should not cast such aspersions. I have heard that AGP activists were involved in the attack.”
Assam Youth Congress president Pijush Hazarika could not be contacted for comment despite repeated attempts.
Though doctors at the civil hospital referred Akhil to Gauhati Medical College Hospital, he refused to go. “I will not leave Nalbari till police arrest the involved Youth Congress members,” he said.
Gogoi even threatened to stage a sit-in-demonstration at the hospital premises from tomorrow if the culprits were not arrested.
Nalbari superintendent of police Abu Suphiyan said those involved would be arrested soon and denied that anybody from the police had misbehaved with him. Suphiyan, however, said the KMSS or its leaders did not inform the district administration about their visit.
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