A special team of doctors visited Akhil Gogoi, the ailing leader of Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, inside Central Jail Guwahati on Wednesday and suggested his “proper treatment”.
The visit followed a directive by a National Investigation Agency court to the jail authorities on Tuesday to furnish a detailed health report of Akhil, who is in judicial custody, in connection with a case registered by the NIA under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act since December 27. The directive came after Akhil’s wife, Gitashree Tamuly, sought the court’s intervention in providing proper treatment to Akhil, who is suffering from serious health issues.
Akhil was rushed to Gauhati Medical College and Hospital on Saturday after he was reported to be suffering from stomach ache and fever. After multiple tests, he was taken back to the jail.
Gitashree’s counsel, advocate Krishna Gogoi, told The Telegraph, “The jail authority submitted Akhil’s health report to the court on Wednesday. The team of doctors have suggested his proper medical treatment by expert urologists and surgeons. We submitted before the court that Akhil needs to be shifted to GMCH immediately as extensive medical facilities are unavailable in jail. The court will give its order on Thursday.”
The court has asked the NIA to furnish the “updated” case diary in the case on March 12, the counsel added.
Akhil fell ill the day before he and three other KMSS leaders were to stage an indefinite fast in jail from March 1 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The fast has been “postponed” considering his ill-health.
Many human right groups have moved the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to direct the government to take adequate steps for Akhil’s speedy recovery.
Babloo Loitongbam of Human Rights Alert, Manipur, and Henri Tiphagne of Human Rights Defenders Alert, in their letter to the NHRC, said, “Consider directing a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, to examine Akhil Gogoi within a specified period of time and submit its report to the Commission.”
The Soseton Nagarik Samaj staged a protest at Guwahati Club Rotary on Wednesday and demanded Akhil’s immediate release.
Asom Songrami Mancha working president Adip Kumar Phukan alleged that the BJP-led NDA government was terrorising anti-CAA protesters. “The BJP’s dominating attitude is nothing but an attempt to politically colonise Assam like the British. Chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal and finance minister Himanta Biswa Sarma are acting as directed by the RSS from Nagpur to implement this colonisation project,” Phukan alleged.
Senior advocate Satyen Deka demanded that the state government provide immediate and improved medical assistance to Akhil. He condemned Dispur for allegedly not allowing his wife to meet him in jail.
Additional reporting by Mohsin Khaiyam and Debananda Medak