Digboi: Tension continued to prevail in Digboi on Wednesday following the alleged mob assault leading to the death of 26-year-old Buddheshwar Garh. Police arrested five individuals in the case, and senior district officials stepped in to maintain law and order.
Garh, a resident of Line No. 10 of Bogapani Tea Estate, was reportedly an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He also served as the prabhari of Booth No. 26 for the Pradhan Man Ki Baat programme under Bogapani Panchayat.
Reports said unknown persons assaulted him at Chariali Bazar in the early hours after accusing him of stealing fish from an abandoned box at the market. He later succumbed to his injuries at Digboi Civil Hospital.
Belonging to the Tea Tribe (Adivasi) community, Garh’s death triggered strong reactions across the estate area. Police have arrested Shero Khan, Sonu Bhattacharjee, Bikram Sahani, Ajit Ali and Ramajan Khan in connection with the incident. The accused remain in custody, and police have launched further investigation. Police sources said more arrests could follow as the probe continues.
The body of the deceased remained at Digboi Community Health Centre (CHC) for several hours as tea garden workers of the estate, along with various Adivasi organisations, staged a sit-in protest inside the hospital premises demanding justice.
The protesters reportedly obstructed the formalities required to shift the body to Tinsukia for postmortem examination, seeking strict legal action and firm assurances from the administration.
In view of the sensitive situation, Co-District Superintendent of Police Himangshu Gohain and the Circle Officer-cum-Executive Magistrate were deployed to oversee law and order arrangements and ensure due legal procedures. Authorities deployed additional security personnel in sensitive areas to prevent any escalation.
The incident comes amid heightened public sensitivity in the region following media reports of the suspected death of a Hindu youth under mysterious circumstances in Bangladesh a day earlier.
People belonging to minority communities live in and around the Chariali Bazar area, adjacent to Adhram Line and the Chariali Gurudwara area
Officials have appealed to residents to maintain calm and allow the investigation to proceed impartially. They assured that the administration will take strict action against anyone found guilty. The district administration remains on high alert as authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.