Golaghat: Police lathich-arged members of the Satra Mukti Sangram Samiti (SMSS) and Chah Sramik Mukti Sangram Samiti (CSMSS) in Golaghat town on Tuesday.
Nearly 25 members of the two organisations had assembled in front of the deputy commissioner's office here to protest against alleged preferential treatment being provided to Bogidhola tea estate owners Sudhir Roy and his brother Samir in the Golaghat district jail.
On December 13, the Roy siblings had allegedly opened fire on workers who were demanding provident fund dues. On Monday, the tea estate management declared an indefinite lockout.
"We were staging a peaceful dharna on the Bogidhola incident and also submitted a memorandum to the district administration which was received by assistant commissioner Susovan Das. Suddenly a police team, led by deputy superintendent Partha Pratim Saikia, started lathicharging our members without warning," said Bidyut Saikia, general secretary of the SMSS, who got injured in the lathicharge.
"Such was the ferocity of police atrocities that they chased us and beat us up mercilessly, injuring many of our members. The action of the police has vindicated our allegations that the police are providing VIP treatment to the Roy brothers," Bidyut said.
DSP Partha Pratim Saikia said the protesters had assembled without obtaining necessary permission from the district administration and prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC is in force.
"We urged them to end their protest and vacate the place but they did pay heed to our appeal. Therefore, we were compelled to lathicharge to disperse them. A case has been registered against the protesters under Section 294 (obscene acts and songs) and Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC and asked them to appear in Golagaht police station on Sunday," he said.
SMSS president Debabrat Saikia and its district unit president Mrinal Nath were injured in the lathicharge and are currently undergoing treatment at Kushal Konwar civil hospital here.
