Police personnel use tear gasoline to disperse protestors in Guwahati.
Guwahati/Lucknow:
Two Congress leaders died as a consequence of “police motion” throughout protests in Guwahati and Lucknow on Wednesday, the social gathering has claimed.
Police in each cities, nevertheless, mentioned the deaths didn’t happen due to their actions and no harm marks have been discovered on the 2 leaders’ our bodies. The precise cause for the deaths, they added, can be clear after the autopsy is performed.
Congress MP and Chief of Opposition In Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi condemned the deaths, saying “democracy and Structure have been murdered once more in BJP-ruled Assam and Uttar Pradesh”.
In a put up on X, Mr Gandhi mentioned the demise of the Congress leaders in Guwahati and Lucknow “as a consequence of police excesses may be very unhappy and condemnable”. “The lions of Congress will proceed to struggle for reality and the Structure,” he mentioned.
The incidents came about within the two cities because the Congress held a nationwide protest over a number of points, together with Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar, alleged authorities inaction over the violence in Manipur and a requirement for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
The incidents came about within the two cities because the Congress held a nationwide protest over a number of points, together with Union Dwelling Minister Amit Shah’s remarks on BR Ambedkar, alleged authorities inaction over the violence in Manipur and a requirement for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
“Tear Fuel Firing” in Assam
In Guwahati, a Congress march in direction of the Raj Bhavan turned violent when the protesters clashed with police, who tried to disperse the group.
A number of leaders, together with Assam Congress chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and former Rajya Sabha MP Ripun Bora, have been detained by the police and brought away in buses.
Congress leaders alleged the police fired tear gasoline shells to disperse the remaining crowd. They mentioned Mridul Islam, who was a lawyer and the secretary of the state unit’s authorized cell, suffered accidents and was rushed to Guwahati Medical Faculty and Hospital, the place he died of his accidents.
“When greater than 8,000 folks have been continuing in direction of the Governor’s Home, impulsively, the Assam Police fired tear gasoline shells. They used it thrice… Many journalists have been injured. I used to be additionally injured. Sadly, considered one of our colleagues died on the spot,” Mr Borah mentioned.
He described the police motion on the protesters as a “pre-planned conspiracy” towards the opposition social gathering. “This can be a pre-planned conspiracy to kill Congress employees and create a concern psychosis… The Congress will not be frightened of it,” he mentioned.
Assam Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi additionally condemned the “brutal torture” by the state police. “I condemn such actions of the federal government who don’t perceive the language of democratic protest,” he mentioned in a put up on Fb.
Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah, nevertheless, mentioned the tear gasoline shells weren’t fired, however rolled. “Police solely rolled three shells onto the highway in order that the folks can be dispersed by the smoke. The protesters took them and threw them on the police,” he mentioned.
Mr Barah additionally mentioned that there have been no harm marks on Islam’s physique. “We’re advised that he complained of uneasiness and was rushed to the hospital,” he mentioned.
The Assam Congress has filed a primary info report (FIR) towards the state police, accusing it of utilizing extreme pressure to halt the social gathering’s protest.
Uttar Pradesh Demise
In Lucknow, Gorakhpur’s Youth Congress chief Prabhat Pandey died after police allegedly used pressure to disperse the group that had gathered close to the state meeting. Congress employees mentioned Pandey died of suffocation after the police used pressure and the folks within the crowd panicked and started pushing one another.
State Congress chief Ajay Rai claimed that Pandey died as a consequence of “police brutality”.
“At present, whereas going to gherao the meeting, our younger colleague Prabhat Pandey ji handed away as a consequence of police brutality,” Mr Rai mentioned in a put up on X.
“This incident is extraordinarily unhappy and condemnable. Our Congress household is harm and indignant by this accident. We won’t tolerate this incident in any respect,” he added.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi, nevertheless, mentioned no pressure was used through the protest and that Pandey was taken to the Civil Hospital in Hazratganj in an unconscious situation from the Congress workplace. “The medical doctors declared him lifeless,” she mentioned.
The officer additionally mentioned that there was no seen harm mark on Pandey’s physique. “Other than this, a autopsy can be finished by a panel and the method can be videographed. Accordingly, additional authorized proceedings can be carried out,” she added.
Mr Rai demanded a compensation of Rs 1 crore to Pandey’s household and a authorities job to one of many members.
Pandey’s uncle has filed a police case, stating that he was knowledgeable that his nephew was mendacity unconscious within the Congress workplace for 2 hours.
“My 31-year-old nephew was making ready for an examination by staying in a paying-guest lodging. I do not know the way he reached the Congress workplace. My nephew was not affected by any illness and evidently one thing untoward has occurred to him. I believe he was most likely murdered,” he mentioned within the First Info Report.