One more accused has been arrested in the lynching of Teok Tea Estate resident physician Deben Dutta, taking the number of arrests to 32.
The arrested accused has been identified as Rinku Bakti.
Bakti along with former Assam Tea Tribes Students’ Association general secretary Manoj Majhi, who was arrested on Wednesday, were produced in Court on Thursday and sent to judicial custody.
Jorhat deputy commissioner Roshni A Korati said that the magisterial enquiry in the unfortunate Teok incident had been withdrawn subsequent to the enquiry ordered by state government.
Shyam Jagannathan, commissioner and secretary, finance, would conduct the enquiry.
With the government deciding to try the accused in a fast track court, the stage is now set for a fast trial.
Despite hectic parleys by the district administration officials, management of the tea estate owned by Amalgamated Plantations Private Limited formerly Tata Tea and different unions and stakeholders, the lock out is in place for the fifth day on Thursday.
A district administration official said that the management was seeking a written assurance from each worker that they would not indulge in such violent activities and all the signatures are given, the lock out would be lifted.
The brutal killing of Dutta drew the attention and condemnation of the World Medical Association, the global body of doctors as well as Indian Medical Association and Association of Surgeons of India, all of who have written letters to the Prime Minister.
The IMA has threatened to launch a nationwide strike including emergency services if the guilty are let off on bail as is the usual mode after the hue and cry dies down.
