Did DSP Gitartha Dev Sarma’s Actions Ignite Baksa Violence?

Tensions in Baksa reached a boiling point when DSP Gitartha Dev Sarma, son of former Assam official Hitesh Dev Sarma, was reported to have led the police crackdown on protesters outside the District Jail in Nikashi. The controversy erupted further after Hitesh Dev Sarma appeared to endorse his son’s actions on social media—before hastily deleting the post amid a storm of criticism.

The unrest followed the transfer of Shyamkanu Mahanta, Siddharth Sharma, and three others—including Sandeepan Garg and two personal security officers—into judicial custody over the mysterious death of Assam’s singing sensation Zubeen Garg.

Angry locals demanding justice clashed violently with police. Stones were hurled at vehicles, glass shattered, and three police vans, along with a private satellite channel’s van, were set ablaze. A female officer was injured, and several protesters were detained as chaos unfolded.

Authorities swiftly imposed a prohibitory order under Section 163 BNSS for Mushalpur town and areas around the jail, aiming to restore peace. Yet the incident raises pressing questions about police accountability, the influence of lineage, and the heavy-handed tactics that fueled Baksa’s explosive unrest.

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