Attack on FT member riles Dispur, AASU

High level team rushed to Goalpara, 4 lawyers arrested but three main accused still at large, manhandling of judge Ajay Kumar Phukan termed a threat to identification of illegal tiols

BY OUR BUREAU

GUWAHATI/GOALPARA, Feb 16: The dastardly manhandling of a member of the Foreigner Tribul in Goalpara by four lawyers of the district court on Wednesday last is being viewed very seriously by the State government, while the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has termed the attack a threat to the process of identification of illegal tiols in Assam.

Following the incident, the State government has rushed a high level team comprising of Gauhati High Court Judge Ujjal Bhuyan, Secretary (Home and Political) TY Das, Director General of Police Mukesh Sahay and Special DGP (Law and Order) Kuladhar Saikia to Goalpara to take stock of the situation.

The four lawyers have already been arrested by the police in this connection. They have been identified as Sofiar Rahman, Anower Hussain, Abdul Baten and Nuruzzaman. They have been taken for 3-days custody by police. However, the three main accused in the case jrul Islam, Omar Faruk and Shahjahan Ali are still at large. 

The attack on the tribul member was a fallout of heated argument between the member (Judge) Ajay Kumar Phukan and the lawyers relating to rulings on some Doubtful Voter cases in the tribul court. The FT member’s office chamber on the court premises was also ransacked by the culprits.

There is much sensation prevailing over the issue. The four lawyers who beat up the FT member allegedly tried to safeguard ‘declared’ foreigners.

Meanwhile, the high level team visited the site where the incident occurred and spoke to Judge Ajay Kr Phukan. They also took stock of the security arrangements in other Foreigner Tribuls in the district. 

Later, talking to mediapersons, TY Das said, “The government is viewing the assault very seriously and no compromise will be made with the safety of tribul members. The incident is not negotiable and the culprits will be brought to book.”

Justice Ujjal Bhuyan also arrived in Goalpara on Thursday and took stock of the situation. 

The incident has been severely condemned by the AASU, which has warned that such incidents will not be tolerated in future. “A section of people in the State is conspiring against the process of identification of illegal foreigners living in the State. Such an attack is not only a threat to the Foreigners Tribul, but also a threat to the very future of the indigenous people of the State,” stated the AASU.

The AASU has demanded adequate security for members of Foreigners Tribuls across the State. In protest against the incident, the Goalpara unit of AASU will stage demonstrations in the district tomorrow. 

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