Assam bypolls violence: 2 Police officers transferred in Nagaon

NAGAON-  The Election Commission (EC) has ordered the transfer of two police officers in Assam’s Nagaon district following incidents of violence in Samaguri Assembly constituency area of the district, where bypoll is scheduled this week, official sources said on Monday.

The additional superintendent of police (Crime), Nagaon, Partha Pratim Saikia and Kaliabar sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Rupjyoti Dutta has been moved out of the district, the sources said.

Also Read- Violence erupted before the by-election in Samaguri, Assam 

Jayanta Baruah and Shyamanta Sarma have been named the new ASP (Crime) and SDPO respectively with immediate effect, they added.

Meanwhile, the BJP has written to the EC demanding bar on Dhubri MP Rakibul Hussain from campaigning in Samaguri, while a police complaint has also been made against the Congress leader by the ruling party.

Hussain had been representing Samaguri in the state Assembly for the past 23 years. He vacated it following his election to the Lok Sabha earlier this year. His son Tanzil is the Congress candidate in the by-election.

Also Read- 12-hour bandh in Assam’s Dibrugarh-Tinsukia called by Moran and Motok organisations demanding ST status

The BJP has fielded Diplu Ranjan Sharma, the party’s state general secretary and a former president of the party’s state youth wing.

A complaint was filed by BJP MLA Jitu Goswami, whose vehicle was purportedly fired upon, at Rupahihat police station on Sunday against Hussain and other Congress workers for allegedly pelting of stones, firing by illegal firearms, attempt to murder and inciting violence.

Violence has rocked Samaguri constituency with both ruling BJP and opposition Congress alleging that gunshots were fired targeting each other’s supporters, besides workers of the two parties being engaged in verbal spats and scuffles.

Also Read- Militant killed A Woman Farmer in Saiton village in Mnaipur

On Sunday, Tanzil’s SUV was allegedly attacked by BJP supporters at Udmari village and he was forced to return from campaigning at a tea garden, with the Congress filing complaints with the EC and police over the matter, a local party leader had said.

The BJP is making an all-out effort to snatch the seat in the demographically sensitive Nagaon district, while Congress is in no mood to leave its stronghold under any circumstances.