April 27: An allegedly unprovoked police assault on a school watchman brought a large group of fuming students out on the streets of Sivasagar town yesterday.

Students of Sivasagar Government M.P. Higher Secondary School staged a demonstration in front of the office of the superintendent of police, demanding action against the police officer who led the team that beat up the watchman of the institution.

The students set a week’s deadline for the authorities to suspend the police officer.

The protesters complained that sub-inspector S. Zaman of Sadar police station assaulted the watchman on Wednesday night without any provocation.

“A police team, led by Zaman, entered the campus and beat up Pranab Bora mercilessly for no reason. We will not tolerate such an irresponsible police officer,” a member of the students’ union said.

The students, encouraged by teachers of the school, marched to the deputy commissioner’s office and handed a memorandum, demanding immediate action against the “errant” police officer.

Senior teacher Rajib Phukon said such arbitrary action by a police officer was a bad example.

“The officer and the police team not only jumped over the locked gate of the school in the dead of night, but also beat up our watchman without any provocation,” he said.

He accused the police officer of not even bothering to inform the principal of any breach of law by the watchman. The principal’s house is on the premises of the school.

The police administration have since ordered a departmental inquiry into the incident.

Additional superintendent of police Manabendra Debroy confirmed that Zaman was on duty in the area on Wednesday night. “We deputed a police party for patrolling because thefts have been taking place in the area of late,” he said.

Zaman gave a different version of the circumstances leading to the assault on the watchman. The sub-inspector said he noticed a person jumping over the main gate of the school that night. “We chased the man and asked the chowkidar to open the gate. However, we did not get any response. We jumped over the gate and found the chowkidar on the verandah of the school building. We thought he was the same person who jumped over the gates a few minutes ago”.

“It was just a case of mistaken identity,” he added.

Echoing what the additional SP mentioned, Zaman said the “state of high alert” was because of frequent thefts in the area.

Debroy said action would be taken against Zaman, if found guilty. “We are waiting for the inquiry report,” he added.