Assam: Congress worker's house attacked in Jorhat

Unidentified persons allegedly set fire to a food joint located within the residential premises of a Congress worker in Assam’s Jorhat district in the early hours of Friday, police said. The incident took place around 1.30 am at Rangajan under the Titabor police station area.

“A probe has begun following a complaint by Rupali Das. More details will be known as the investigation progresses,” a police officer said. “The food joint and some spare parts of a vehicle, estimated to be worth around Rs 10,000-Rs 15,000, were gutted, according to the family.”

The incident marks the second reported alleged attack on opposition members since the Assembly election results were declared on Monday, 4 May, in which the BJP-led NDA returned to power for a third consecutive term with a two-thirds majority.

Earlier this week, unidentified persons allegedly hurled petrol bombs at the residence of a Congress candidate in Diphu in Karbi Anglong district, though the explosives did not go off.

In the latest case, Rupali Das said passersby first noticed the flames and alerted the family, who were asleep inside the house. “Around 1.30 am, we heard banging on our door and people shouting. We were initially hesitant to open the door, but when we heard the voice of our neighbours, we rushed out,” Das said.

She said the food joint at the front of the premises was completely destroyed in the fire. Spare parts of a commercial passenger vehicle operated by her husband were also damaged.

According to Das, local residents helped control the blaze before it spread further. After the fire was extinguished, she said she found a glass bottle filled with petrol with a wick attached to it, raising suspicions of arson.

Das’ residence is located near the ancestral home of former Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi. She is known for regularly posting videos on social media in support of the Congress.

Congress social media and IT department chairman Rituparna Konwar condemned the incident and demanded immediate arrests. “Until now, we had only seen videos of post-poll violence in West Bengal. But today, some people are bringing such a dangerous political culture into Assam, which is a very alarming sign for the social fabric of the state,” Konwar said. “I strongly condemn the incident and urge police to immediately apprehend the culprits and ensure strict punishment.”

Akhil Gogoi also condemned the attack. In a Facebook post, he said, “I strongly condemn the torching of the small business that was the only means of livelihood for Congress worker Rupali Das by miscreants, and demand police to nab the culprits at the earliest and punish them.”

“According to media reports, Rupali Das was targeted only because she supports Congress. If someone is attacked only due to a difference in political ideology, just imagine where our Assamese society is headed,” Gogoi added.

With PTI inputs