Police arrested brothers Bidyut Baruah and Bikash Baruah from Chabua in Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Friday on charge of burning down local BJP legislator Binod Hazarika’s residence during the recent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019.
The MLA’s residence was set ablaze by a group of protesters on December 12, a day after the citizenship bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha.
Chabua, which is also the birthplace of chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal, had witnessed the highest cases of violence in the recent anti-CAA protests.
Protesters either resorted to arson or vandalised the local railway station, circle office, post office, a bank, bus counter and several government properties.
As the news of the arrests spread, local residents blocked Hatiali road at Chabua for over an hour seeking their release. They staged a demonstration in front of the Chabua police station while Jugal Baruah, a local BJP member, resigned from the party in protest after their arrest.
“We have clear video evidence of them indulging in the act of arson at the MLA’s residence. Both of them can be seen clearly in the CCTV footage. They have confessed to their crime. We have so far registered 79 cases and arrested 59 persons in Dibrugarh district for indulging in violence, arson and vandalism during anti-CAA protests. All them have been sent to jail and action will be taken against them according to law,” Dibrugarh superintendent of police Sreejith Tiraviam said.
On Thursday, the anti-CAA protesters met Assam BJP president Ranjeet Kumar Dass with black flags when he went to meet the Chabua MLA.
Anti-CAA protests continued unabated in Upper Assam on Friday.
The All Assam Students’ Union organised a janatar gorjon (people’s roar) at the Hanuman Garhi Hindi High School field at Silapathar in Dhemaji district.
Members of the Silpi Samaj, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad and All Assam Tai Ahom Students’ Union participated in the rally, along with thousands of people from different walks of life. Similarly, the All Assam Gorkha Students’ Union, on its 44th foundation day, took out a silent procession in Duliajan town in the district demanding scrapping of the Act.
