Assam Police Detain Veer Lachit Sena Leader Rantu Paniphukan Mid-Press Conference in Guwahati

Assam Police detained Rantu Paniphukan, chief secretary and senior leader of Veer Lachit Sena, on Monday during an ongoing press conference at Hotel Apollo Grand on GS Road in Guwahati.

The abrupt intervention disrupted the briefing after the state government announced a crackdown on the organisation.

The arrest comes on the heels of strong warnings from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who has signalled that Veer Lachit Sena could face an imminent ban, drawing parallels to the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I).

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Addressing reporters earlier, Sarma lambasted the group for fostering chaos through alleged extortion rackets, violent assaults, and intimidation of local businesses.

"Bir Lachit Sena's activities mirror those of ULFA, and it may soon be proscribed for the same reasons," the Chief Minister asserted, accusing the outfit of extracting illicit payments, physically harming residents, and undermining public order across the state.

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Sarma also levelled indirect criticism at Bikash Assam, a prominent associate of the group, without naming him explicitly. He alleged that this individual had disrespected the honour of Assamese women, labelling it an unforgivable affront to the state's cultural ethos.

"I have directed law enforcement to pursue the harshest penalties against this person," Sarma declared, emphasising that the administration would deploy every available resource to safeguard Assam's dignity. He clarified that while he refrained from identifying the culprit by name to avoid escalation, no leniency would be shown.

The Chief Minister further singled out Veer Lachit Sena as the sole entity currently plaguing the business community, distinguishing it from other groups.

Further details will be updated.