Mysterious Death in Tongona Police Lock-Up Sparks Protests and Suspension of Officers, Calls for Judicial Inquiry

TINSUKIA: Mysterious death of a person inside police lock-up at Tongona police station in Kakopathar of Tinsukia district on Saturday night led to the suspension of officer-in-charge Khogen Borah and constable Chittaranjan Baruah while irate mob in hundreds under several organisations blocked the NH 15 for several hours on Sunday and Monday demanding a high-level judicial inquiry with the intervention of the Chief Minister, Director General of Police and Human Rights Commission.

According to reports, a goat thief Dhanjit Moran (22) of Majgaon Tongona was caught by local villagers on Saturday and was thrashed by them before being handed over to Tongona police. Police took the person into custody and kept him in police lock-up overnight. The person died inside the lock up and police told the family members on Sunday morning that Dhanjit Moran allegedly committed suicide. The victim’s body was sent for post-mortem without informing the family members on Sunday that irked the local people. The Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Abhijit Gurav taking cognizance suspended both the police personnel on Sunday. He further informed that criminal case has been registered (Case No 03/2024 Tongona PS) which will be investigated by independent I/O from different district while NHRC has been intimated about custodial death as per procedure.

Jagadish Bhuyan former minister and AJP secretary addressing the protesters said it was only judicial inquiry that would reveal the actual cause of death and demanded a judicial inquiry into mysterious death of Moran.

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