http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=feb2711/city06
Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI, Feb 26 – The family of Anjan Baruah, a resident of Tengani Dighali Majgaon under Barpathar Police Station in Golaghat district has alleged that Anjan was compelled to end his life on February 25 night following ‘continued physical and mental torture’ by the police after his arrest in a ‘fabricated’ case.
In a letter to the Subdivisional Police Officer, Dhansiri, the deceased’s father Himendra Baruah stated that the police pressurized Anjan – arrested a few months back — into making public statements before the electronic media linking some organisations with Maoists. The police also tried to brand him as a Maoist on false charges, with the Barpathar Police Station in-charge giving bites before the media to that effect, he said.
Akhil Gogoi, president of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, told The Assam Tribune that the young man was a victim of police brutality who was constantly subjected to physical and mental pressure to make a confessional statement to suit the interest of the police. “This he did not do and had to pay with his life ultimately. He was pressurized into committing suicide,” Gogoi said.
Meanwhile, villagers of Tengani today gheraoed the police when it came to the residence of the deceased for getting his postmortem done. “Later, the villagers refused to take back Anjan’s body, saying that he was killed by the government machinery and so it has to take the responsibility of his body as well,” Gogoi said.
(Akhil Gogoi is the National Convener of NAPM and KMSS is one of the largest social movements of Assam and an important constituent of NAPM)