In a shocking incident, noted Assamese poet Suresh Ranjan Goduka on Monday evening allegedly bashed up a waiter and the owner of a restaurant at Teok in Upper Assam’s Jorhat district.
A video surfaced following the incident shows Goduka slapping a person and pushing another one in an eatery.
Police have registered a case (no 122/18) against poet Goduka at the Teok police station for allegedly beating up the waiter and manhandling the owner of Foodvilla, the restaurant at Teok.
Satyajit Borah, SI, Teok Police station said that Goduka had slapped the waiter for serving a non-veg dish instead of the vegetarian dish that he had ordered.
He had also pushed the owner of Foodvilla when he had tried to settle the matter.
“Goduka was on his way to Sonari where his mother had died from Guwahati and had stopped at the restaurant for a snack. He has not been arrested and we are investigating the incident,” Borah further said.
Goduka is editor of Jeevan, an Assamese magazine published from Guwahati. He also hosts Jeevan Kite and River Festival, an annual beach festival, in Guwahati.
Following the incident, the Asom Premi Juba Chatra Samaj staged a protest and blocked NH37 for about 15 minutes. The activists of the organisation have demanded immediate arrest of Goduka and strong action for his ‘goondaism’.
Locals have also strongly condemned Goduka for getting rowdy in the restaurant. Goduka could not be reached for comment despite repeated attempts.