Congress counterpunch puts Garlosa behind bars

Joining BJP with 8 Dima Hasao council members proves costly for ex-DHD(J) chief

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Oct 11: Dima Hasao Autonomous Council member Jewel Garlosa was arrested from his rented house in the city in the wee hours on Monday, two days after he and eight Congress council members joined the BJP, reducing the Congress to a minority in the autonomous council.

Police said Garlosa was arrested in connection with a 2008 case registered at Langting police station of Dima Hasao district. Garlosa alias Mihir Barman was booked under IPS sections 120 (B) (crimil conspiracy), 121, 121 (A) (waging war against the government), 302 (murder) and 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapon).

A joint team of Dima Hasao and Dispur police arrested Garlosa from his rented residence at Hengerabari in the city early this morning.

Garlosa termed the arrest a "conspiracy" and claimed that he had met senior police officials in the district over tea before coming to Guwahati on October 2.

Describing the arrest as "blackmailing tactics", State BJP president Siddhartha Bhattacharya said the Congress government "must think before acting" and that the party will have to "pay for its actions."

"It was because of the misrule of the Congress that nine members defected and joined the BJP," Bhattacharya said, alleging that two senior police officials were part of the "conspirators."

"The police machinery is being politicized. But Congress cannot stall the BJP march through such tactics," he said. While Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi maintained that he was not aware about the arrest and that "law will take its own course," senior minister Rakibul Hussain insisted that there were many pending cases against Garlosa and the government is firm against crimil elements.

Garlosa, the head of the now-disbanded DHD(J), was arrested in Bangalore in 2009. His outfit was disbanded in 2012.