An Assam Congress leader died on Wednesday (December 18, 2024) after police fired tear gas shells at protesters during a ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ programme in Guwahati.
Mridul Islam, an advocate by profession, was the secretary of the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee’s (APCC) legal cell, and a resident of Boko in southwestern Assam. He collapsed after the shelling and died at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital later.
He was one of the participants of the party’s nationwide demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan to oppose the installation of smart meters, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Central government’s refusal to discuss the Manipur crisis, allegations of corruption against the Adani Group, and the ‘one nation, one election’ Bill in Parliament.
“Mridul Islam did not die. The Himanta Biswa Sarma government murdered him through a planned crackdown on peaceful protestors. We have declared him the first martyr of our war against the corrupt BJP-led government,” State Congress president Bhupen Kumar Borah told journalists.
He said the police had fired an excessive amount of tear gas without any provocation and virtually fired one at Islam’s face.
Later, the party lodged a First Information Report at the Latasil Police Station, seeking action against the police officers responsible for Islam’s death after a thorough and independent probe into the incident. The party also sought compensation for the survivors of the deceased party worker.
Hundreds of Congress members gathered near the Raj Bhavan at 11 a.m. carrying placards and flags while chanting slogans against the BJP and industrialist Gautam Adani. The police stopped the protestors near the Raj Bhavan and used tear gas, apart from taking some leaders into custody.
Black badge protest
The Guwahati Press Club (GPC) condemned the police action in using teargas shells on journalists who had covered the Congress’s ‘Raj Bhavan Chalo’ protest, and urged members of the media fraternity to wear black badges on Thursday as a mark of protest.
A statement issued by GPC president Sushmita Goswami and general secretary Sanjoy Ray said visuals had established tear gas shelling in places where reporters and video journalists had gathered at the political programme.
“Several journalists were injured and had to undergo treatment. It has been observed that journalists have, of late, routinely fallen victim to such incidents in the line of duty in different parts of the State,” the GPC’s statement said.
The duo urged the civil and police administration to train personnel engaged in mob control, and law and order duties in dealing with such situations more efficiently, and without causing injury or harm to those present at a site on account of their professional duty.
