North Lakhimpur: Lakhimpur Police have arrested more than 100 people as part of an ongoing crackdown on alleged intermediaries and touts operating around various government offices and agencies across the district.
According to officials, the operations were carried out in and around police stations, District Transport Offices (DTOs), revenue circle offices, pension offices and Block Development Offices (BDOs). The drive is intended to curb the activities of middlemen and ensure that people can access government services and welfare schemes directly.
The crackdown has also resulted in arrests in separate cases involving alleged bribery and other offences.
Gaonburha arrested over alleged Rs 20,000 bribe
Safiqul Islam, the Gaonburha of Mohghuli under Nowboicha, was arrested for allegedly accepting Rs 20,000 from a villager in connection with land-related services.
A video recently circulated on social media purportedly shows Islam receiving cash from an elderly man inside his office on September 6.
Advocate held in alleged abetment of minor’s suicide
In a separate case, police arrested advocate Saheba Ahmed in Laluk on Wednesday evening over the alleged abetment of suicide of a 14-year-old domestic worker, Arifa Begum, who died in November 2025.
According to an FIR lodged by Arifa’s mother, who had also worked as a domestic help at Ahmed’s residence, the minor allegedly consumed herbicide at the house on November 5, 2025, following an alleged assault and humiliation.
Arifa was later shifted to Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh for treatment, where she died on November 10.
The girl’s mother further alleged that Ahmed had pressured her to file a case against a young man who was reportedly in a relationship with Arifa and had been blamed for her death.
Police registered a case against Ahmed under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and took her into custody.
Ahmed, who also runs an NGO in Laluk, has previously faced allegations concerning various activities. The allegations related to her NGO and other activities are currently subject to investigation.