Woman vendors' assault: Organisations protest in Silchar, demand arrest of Durba Paul and Sagnick Gupta

Different organisations, on Saturday, staged a protest in front of Cachar deputy commissioner’s office demanding arrest of two accused in connection with an assault on two woman vendors at Jail Road in Silchar on November 24.

Two vendors Gracy Hmar and Lalmounpui Hmar, residents of Hmarkhawlien village in Cachar district, were assaulted at a market at Jail Road in Silchar on November 24 for allegedly stealing a stray dog to sell its meat. An FIR was lodged with Silchar Sadar Police Station on December 5 after a video of the assault went viral on social media.

The video, which was shared across social media platforms by several users, features a girl identified as Durba Paul abusing, threatening and beating up one of the woman vendors. Two others identified as Priya Mazumder and Sagnick Gupta were present on the spot. All of them were absconding after the FIR was lodged. Priya was arrested on December 21 from a house at Kali Mohan Road, Tarapur and was produced before a court, which sent her to judicial custody.

Members of different organisations and civil society groups including the Barak Valley Hmar Students’ Association, All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union, Manipuri Youths Front Assam, All Assam Tribal Sangha, Khasi Students’ Union, Silchar Youth Members and Stand for People gathered in front of Cachar deputy commissioner’s office here around 12:30pm this afternoon and staged the protest.

The agitated protesters, carrying placards, raised slogans in unison venting their ire over the role of the police authority and strongly demanded that the other two accused Durba Paul and Sagnick Gupta be arrested.
Lalsiemthar Hmar, vice-president of the Barak Valley Hmar Students’ Association, said it was quite surprising that the police had not managed to nab them so far. “This is really unacceptable. We will take our protests to much bigger levels if the culprits are not arrested soon,” he said.

Sanjay Rongmei, vice-president of All Assam Tribal Sangha, said though the police had nabbed one of the accused, but two other accused were still at large for so many days. Prompt measures should be taken to nab them soon, he said.

Kabrabam Bikramjit, a member of the All Assam Manipuri Students’ Union, urged the authorities to take immediate measures and nab the culprits as early as possible.

Partha Das, a member of Silchar Youth Members said the role of the police had been very much disappointing in the case. Had the police been bit prompt, all the culprits would have been behind the bars, he said.
Others including Fanjowbam Lokenath from Manipuri Youths Front Assam, Komol Paul from Silchar Youth Members and Bikram Sarkar from Stand for People were also present.
Lakhipur legislator Rajdeep Goala along with district Congress president Pradip Dey and few other Congress members, who joined the agitation movement, expressed dissatisfaction over the role of the police authority in the case.

The Congress members threatened to stage vigorous protests if the two accused are not held soon. The demonstration ended around 1:30pm.

Later, memoranda were submitted to Cachar deputy commissioner S. Lakshmanan by the organisations and the Congress members demanding arrest of the two accused. Lakshmanan said necessary action would be taken regarding the matter.Cachar superintendent of police Rakesh Roushan told Barak Bulletin on Saturday evening that the two accused Durba and Sagnick were at large and a search was on to nab them.