Shrinkhal Chaliha’s Detention Sparks Fury, Protests Sweep Sivasagar

Tensions flared in Sivasagar and surrounding districts after Assam Police detained key leaders of the Bir Lachit Sena on Friday, sparking widespread protests and threats of intensified agitation.

Shrinkhal Chaliha, Central Administrative Secretary of the Bir Lachit Sena, and Har Kumar Gogoi, the group’s Organising Secretary, were detained by Dibrugarh Police in Sepon while en route to Duliajan, along with over 50 members of the organisation. The group was reportedly heading to Duliajan to join demonstrations demanding the arrest of Tanu Shahi—an issue that has ignited protests across Assam.

Following their arrest, Chaliha was transported to the office of the Superintendent of Police in Dibrugarh for interrogation, while the remaining members were held at Moran Police Station under tight security. In Duliajan, at least 15 additional protesters, including prominent regional leaders, were also detained and taken to Dibrugarh Police Station.

The detentions triggered immediate backlash in Sivasagar, where the SC Students’ Union and Bir Lachit Sena activists took to the streets in force. Protesters raised slogans, condemned the arrests, and issued a stern ultimatum to authorities: release all detained leaders, including Chaliha, within three hours or face a complete shutdown of Upper Assam and Sivasagar.

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