Candlelight rally in Kokrajhar against killing of college student

KOKRAJHAR, Sept 27: Students from different educational institutions in Kokrajhar participated in a candlelight rally in Kokrajhar town on Wednesday evening in protest against the killing of Mrisangka Basumatary, a first-semester student of Tangla College in Udalguri district of Assam. Mrisangka Basumatary, a first-semester student of Tangla College, was brutally killed in broad daylight on September 18 at Tangla in Udalguri district. The college student along with two of his friends had gone to a river bank at Paschim Nalbari near Tangla town when they were attacked by group of miscreants leading to his death. His two friends, Shiva Boro (18) and Dipankar Dey (19), were also injured in the attack but managed to flee and save themselves.

The incident has evoked widespread condemnation and protests. In Kokrajhar, students from different colleges and institutions like Kokrajhar Government College, Kokrajhar Law College, Central Institute of Technology, Kokrajhar Commerce College, Kokrajhar Science College, Bodoland University, Kokrajhar Girls’ College, Kokrajhar Music & Fine Arts College, B.Ed College and DIET, in collaboration with North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS), carried out a candlelight vigil in protest against the killing of the college student and demanded justice. They expressed their solidarity against such hatred killing and growing mob lynching culture in the society.

The rally started from district Government College and marched through district town via RN Brahma Road, Jwhwlao Dwimalu Road- Civil Line- Santinagar- Flyover route and back. The student community demanded that all the culprits should be arrested and punished, compensation should be granted to the victim’s family, steps for safety and security of the students should be taken by the administration and justice should prevail for Mrisangka Basumatary.

Participating in the rally, Hem Chandra Brahma, member of the Assam unit of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS), said, “Such atmosphere has emerged due to the underdevelopment of the region, which fuels hatred towards other communities and results in brutal manifestations such as the present incident. Such incidents also point towards complete failure of the state machinery to maintain peace. It also occurs due to the apathy of the State which fuels poor functioning of the police system and even active connivance of police personnel in many cases. The brutal incidents such as the present one are also the fallout of the absence of pro-people policies in the region.”

NEFIS demanded adequate compensation for the victim’s family and strict punishment to the culprits. NEFIS also demanded that the government should clamp down on incidents of mob lynching and communal clashes, and seriously deal with vested interests wishing to destroy the social fabric of the region.