Protests against hooch tragedy across Assam

Correspondents

TANGLA: In protest against the hooch tragedy where more than 155 people, mostly tea garden workers, lost their lives after consuming spurious country liquor in Golaghat due to the alleged lackadaisical attitude of the excise department in curbing the menace of illegal liquor, the Udalguri district chapter of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) took to the streets to protest against the incident.

The activists burnt the effigy of State Excise Minister Parimal Suklabaidya on the Mangaldai-Bhutiachang road at Tangla town in Udalguri district on Sunday. The activists raised slogans against the minister demanding resignation of the minister.

“The irresponsible nature and high-level of corruption from head-to- toe in the excise department have made way for a flourishing trade by unscrupulous people in connivance with the excise officials,” said assistant general secretary of Udalguri chapter KMSS, Pankaj Asomia.

GAURISAGAR: Assam Tea Tribe Students Association (ATTSA) Haluwating Regional Committee burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Excise Minister Parimal Sukla Baidya at Halowating in Sivasagar district on Sunday evening. The protesters carried the symbolic bodies of Sonowal and Sukla Baidya and later burnt their effigies in the heart of town to protest against the death of more than 100 people, mostly belonging to the tea tribes community, after consuming spurious liquor. At the same time, they also strongly expressed their resentment against Amguri MLA Pradip Hazarika who alleged before media persons that some organizations of Amguri were taking money from illicit liquor traders and allowing them to continue their business.

Also read: Hooch Tragedy In Golaghat Takes The State Assembly By Storm