Guwahati: All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) general secretary Shankar Jyoti Baruah has been accused of cheating, blackmailing and mentally harassing a female student.
An FIR was lodged against Baruah at the Bhangagarh police station on Saturday, September 7, which was later transferred to Dispur police station.
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The complainant, a student at University Law College, Gauhati University, alleged that she had been in a long-term relationship with Baruah. She claimed that the AASU leader deceived her by breaking off their relationship to pursue another woman, a singer.
The emotional distress caused by this betrayal reportedly led the student to overdose on medication, resulting in her hospitalization at Gauhati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) on Thursday night.
In her complaint, the student alleged that Baruah had promised to marry her and, on that pretext, engaged in a sexual relationship with her. She further accused the AASU leader of physical assault, death threats, and an attempt to strangle her at his residence. According to the complaint, Baruah also threatened to kill both her and her family if she revealed the details of their relationship.
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“We had been in a relationship for three and a half years since 2021. During this time, Shankar Jyoti Baruah visited my home several times, staying with my family and promising to marry me,” the complainant stated in her FIR, a copy of which is available with Northeast Now.
“He frequently stayed at my home, and I often stayed with him at his flat in Six Mile. Both our families were aware of our relationship, and he assured us of a future together. Some of his clothes and personal belongings are still at my house. We traveled, shopped, and often lived together,” she added.
However, the student claimed that since late 2023, Baruah’s behavior changed drastically. “He began mistreating me, scolding me, assaulting me, and threatening to kill me whenever I tried to contact him. He wanted to end the relationship at any cost,” she said.
In one alleged incident on May 31, the student, along with her hostel roommate, visited Baruah’s flat in Six Mile. “That day, he pulled me into his room, assaulted me, and pressed a pistol against my forehead, threatening to kill me. When I tried to leave the room where my roommate was waiting, he attempted to strangle me. I somehow managed to escape and save my life,” she recounted.
The student reiterated that Baruah had not only deceived her with false promises of marriage but also physically and emotionally abused her. She expressed fear for her life and the safety of her family, stating that Baruah had threatened to kill them if she disclosed the details of their relationship.
Baruah has not yet responded to the allegations, despite repeated attempts to reach him by phone. His mobile phone remains switched off.