Digboi: The alleged gang assault on an emergency medical technician near the Digboi refinery gate has triggered mounting concern, with police confirming that CCTV footage from the area has been secured even as questions are being raised over the role of security personnel present at the site.
Digboi Police on Sunday said footage from cameras installed around the refinery gate under the Assam Oil Division (AOD), Digboi, has been formally obtained and is being examined to establish the sequence of events and identify all those involved.
The case has been registered as Digboi Police Station Case No. 17/26 under Sections 117(2), 126(2), 127(2), 189(2), 351(2), 74, 75 and 76 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. The FIR pertains to the alleged group assault on Sumi Das, an Emergency Medical Technician associated with refinery hospital services.
Police sources said three accused persons have been arrested so far, while the alleged mastermind, identified as Ganapati Mahato, remains absconding. Investigators earlier indicated that as many as 14 individuals may have been involved in the incident, suggesting a coordinated attack rather than a spontaneous altercation. Further arrests are likely as the analysis of the CCTV footage progresses, officials said.
The incident reportedly occurred in a high-security zone near the refinery’s main entrance. Allegations that security personnel were present in the vicinity but did not intervene have fuelled public anger. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for refinery security, has not issued any official statement on the incident so far, a silence that has prompted questions over accountability.
Meanwhile, the victim’s medical condition has added urgency to the investigation. Das said she continues to suffer from physical distress following the assault. “The slap on my cheek was so strong that the pain is spreading to my head. The doctor has advised an MRI. I am not able to hear properly and I am facing constant pain,” she said.
Relatives and associates of the victim have also alleged that pressure is being exerted on Das and her husband to withdraw the case and seek a compromise. It has been claimed that some socially influential persons visited the victim’s residence and urged a settlement outside the legal process.
These allegations have drawn strong reactions from sections of civil society, who said any attempt to influence the complainant in a criminal case would undermine the course of justice and erode public confidence in institutions.