Tragedy Strikes: Congress Worker Dies During Guwahati Protest

A Congress worker named Mridul Islam sadly died during a big protest in Guwahati. The police used tear gas to stop protestors who were trying to march towards the Raj Bhawan. Mridul Islam, who was a lawyer, was part of the demonstration and got exposed to the tear gas. The police said they did not use force and claimed that Mr. Islam was not feeling well.

Many journalists at the protest also complained about feeling irritation from the tear gas. According to party spokesperson Bedabrat Bora, Mr. Islam felt suffocated when a tear gas shell landed near him. A senior police officer mentioned that Mr. Islam was quickly taken to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital for help but was declared dead by the doctors.

The protest was part of a larger nationwide event called “Raj Bhavan Chalo,” where many Congress members and supporters marched to express their disagreement with various issues. They were voicing concerns about the installation of smart meters, the BJP-led government not discussing the Manipur issue in Parliament, corruption accusations against the Adani Group, and the proposed One Nation, One Election Bill.

Several Congress leaders, including Debabrata Saikia, APCC Chief Bhupen Borah, and senior leader Ripun Bora, were arrested during the protest. There was even a scuffle where some leaders fell to the ground but were released later.

In response to Mr. Islam’s death, Congress has filed a police complaint in Guwahati. They plan to hold sit-in protests across the state as a sign of respect for him and are calling for an investigation into what happened.

Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah stated that they did not fire the tear gas shells aggressively. They only rolled a few on the road to create smoke to disperse the crowd. He added that Congress did not ask for permission to hold the protest and that the protestors broke through some barricades. He insisted that there was no use of force and that a check on Mr. Islam showed no visible injuries. The real cause of death will be known after the autopsy results come in.