Assam's Digboi Remains Tense After Moral Policing Incident; Markets Shut for Over 30 Hours

GUWAHATI: Tension continues to prevail in Assam's Digboi following the death of a tea garden worker who was allegedly assaulted by a group of traders at the Chariali fish market in the early hours of Friday.

More than 30 hours after the incident, the Digboi daily market remains shut, with business establishments across the town keeping their shutters down amid the unrest.

The deceased has been identified as Budheshwar Garh, a resident of Bogapani Tea Estate.

According to reports, Budheshwar had gone to the Chariali fish market around 5 am along with two companions to collect discarded vegetables and leftovers to feed pigs, a routine activity they had reportedly followed on previous occasions. However, a section of traders accused the trio of stealing fish and allegedly attacked them.

While his two companions managed to flee, Budheshwar was reportedly caught and severely beaten by the group. In critical condition, he was later taken to the Digboi Police Station by the traders, from where police rushed him to Digboi Civil Hospital. However, he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

Following news of his death, members of various local organisations, student bodies, and community groups gathered at the hospital and demanded strict action against those responsible. Leaders of the Tea Tribes Students’ Union and the Adivasi Students’ Union led protests, with hundreds of student activists calling for a thorough and impartial investigation and ensuring that the accused do not escape legal consequences.

Residents have alleged that some Hindi-speaking traders at the Chariali fish market were previously involved in similar incidents of assault and intimidation. They urged the district administration to take firm measures to curb what they described as repeated acts of hooliganism by certain non-local traders operating in the market.

Meanwhile, Digboi Police have detained five individuals in connection with the incident.

The arrested persons have been identified as Sher Khan, Ramzan Khan, Ajit Ali, Sonu Bhattacharjee, and Bikram Sahani. Further investigation is underway, and security has been tightened in the area to prevent any escalation of tension.

Also Read: Assam: Tea Garden Worker Dies After Alleged Mob Assault at Digboi Market; Five Held