Assam: Police Officer Closed to Reserve Following Assault on Student Leader in Jonai

Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Surjya Kanta Morang has been "closed to reserve" in connection with an incident of police brutality in Jonai.

IGP Jitmol Doley informed in writing that Morang has been closed to reserve and instructed to report to the Commandant of the 19th Assam Police Battalion (APBn) in Tengakhat, Dibrugarh, today without fail.

He will remain at the Battalion Headquarters until further orders from the Assam Police Headquarters.

The incident, which occurred near Hanuman Mandir, Jonai, on Friday night, has sparked widespread protests and outrage. SDPO Morang allegedly assaulted Chandra Kanta Baruah, the regional advisor of the Jonai unit's All Assam Students' Union (AASU), without provocation. Baruah was severely beaten and left critically injured. He was later transferred to Dibrugarh for advanced medical treatment.

Tension erupted in Jonai as news of the assault spread. According to reports, the altercation began when Baruah, along with a friend, was attending a religious ‘Kirtan’ at the Hanuman Mandir in Jonai.

SDPO Morang reportedly stopped their car, insulted Baruah with accusations, and forcibly dragged him from the mandir premises. The student leader was then severely beaten at an undisclosed location.

Despite repeated pleas from Baruah, Morang continued the assault, leaving him unconscious before taking him to the police station.

The Jonai Students' Union staged a sit-in protest at the police station, demanding strict action against the officer. Dhemaji district student union president Sanjeev Das has called for a thorough investigation and severe punishment for SDPO Morang.

The injured student leader’s condition remains critical, and protests have intensified across Jonai, with shops closed and a complete shutdown in the area.

In response to the attack, various political and student organizations have joined the protests, calling for immediate disciplinary action against the police officer.

The local community, along with multiple organizations, had also issued a 10-hour ultimatum to the authorities to take action. Failure to do so has prompted the student union to threaten a large-scale democratic movement.

Also Read: Police Assault on AASU Leader in Jonai Sparks Outrage, DGP Orders Probe