The Assam Students’ Forum – a body of the students of seven universities and 50 colleges of the state – has lodged a complaint against the Assam police before the Assam State Human Rights Commission on December 19th, 2019 after one student was killed and several others were injured in police action during the violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in Guwahati.
In the complaint, the students’ forum alleged that the Assam Police personnel used force against female college students.
“…When the protest rally reached Christain Basti, Guwahati, the Assam Police unlawfully and brutally lathi-charged upon the students. Assam Police used tear gas, lathi charge and rubber bullet on the students. One student of Cotton University had injured as result of cruel lathi charge of Assam Poice,” the students’ forum said in the complaint copy.
“On December 12, three persons including a minor boy were killed in Guwahati and more than 20 persons got injured in the police firing. Victims Dipanjal Das and Sam Stafford were killed in police firing. These boys were not involved in any vandalism or agitation but the Assam police mercilessly fired upon them without any justification,” the students’ forum added in the complaint copy.
The students’ Forum demanded an inquiry and appropriate action against the concerned officers for their “inhuman and illegal act” and compensation for “those injured students“.
“We also pray for action against the erring officials who are responsible for the death of 5 young persons. We also pray for a direction for investigation from any proper agency without the involvement of any officials of the Assam police and give a direction to the concerned authorities to give compensation to the families of the deceased persons without any delay,” the students’ forum said.
Violent protests erupted in Assam after the Rajya Sabha passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on December 11th, 2019. The streets of the state turned into a veritable battle zone littered with burnt tyres, logs, stones, rubber pellets and teargas shells as seething protesters mostly students descended on the streets opposing the Bill.
Photo: Time8
