Zubeen death: Protesters clash with police, set vehicles on fire outside prison

Guwahati | Assam Police on Wednesday resorted to lathi-charge and fired teargas shells to disperse an agitated mob that attacked and set ablaze some vehicles and hurled stones at the convoy carrying the five accused arrested in cultural icon Zubeen Garg's death case as they were being brought to Baksa District Jail.

Prohibitory orders have been imposed under Section 163 of BNSS in Mushalpur town and adjoining areas of the jail, while internet and mobile data services have been suspended in the entire Baksa district till further orders, District Commissioner Gautam Das said.

Several people, including police personnel, journalists and local residents were injured and glass panes of vehicles were smashed, a senior officer said.

A large number of protesters gathered outside the prison in Mushalpur area, and as the convoy of vehicles carrying the accused for being lodged in the prison arrived, they started pelting the vehicles with stones, he said.

Some even demanded that the accused be handed over to the public to ensure "justice for Zubeen".

Although the convoy managed to enter the jail premises, the protesters scuffled with the policemen deployed at the gates as they attempted to breach the cordon, the officer said.

Despite the requests of the policemen to the protesters to move back, they kept pressing forward, following which the law enforcers resorted to lathi-charge to control the situation, he said.

The situation, however, turned worse after a while, with the protesters setting ablaze some vehicles, including those belonging to the police department and television channels, with the law enforcers firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the incident at Baksa is "very sad and we are pained by it".

"In a civilised state like Assam or our country, we must always have faith and trust in the court of law to ensure justice for anyone," Sarma told reporters in New Delhi.

Even after Mahatma Gandhi's death, Nathuram Godse was punished only after the court went through the due legal process, he said.

"Whether it was Indira Gandhi or Rajiv Gandhi's killing, the guilty were punished only according to the law of the land," Sarma said.

He alleged that since the day Zubeen died, a section of people was trying to create a false narrative to fulfill its vested political interests.

Some political parties are attempting to instigate the common people, who are the real fans of the singer, to create a situation which is condemnable, the chief minister alleged.

"This is not in the interest of the people and it will harm the state for a long time just like the movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act did," he said.

Sarma appealed to the people to believe in the judiciary and not be misguided by those who are doing politics for their vested interests.

Assam Police will complete the investigation within the stipulated time-frame and approach the court of law with the charge-sheet against those responsible for Zubeen's death, he added.

The common people are not doing politics but they are emotional and it is a section that is giving false information for its own political benefits.

"Most of these people were never Zubeen's fans and had even criticised him but, now, overnight they have deleted their previous social media posts and are claiming to be his ardent fans," he said.

Sarma alleged that this section will not allow the situation to settle down till there is violence or a Nepal-like situation in the state.

IGP (Law and Order) Akhilesh Singh, who rushed to the spot, said that "minimum force was used to bring the situation under control".

Asked about the number of people who have suffered injuries, Singh said, "Our immediate priority was to bring the law and order situation under control. It is now under control and we will do the documentation part after this."

Several vehicles have been set ablaze, government property damaged and a number of people injured and so "an inquiry will be conducted into the matter".

"Certain anti-social elements may have instigated the incident and we will conduct a thorough inquiry into it," the IGP said.

He appealed to the people to maintain peace and "not take law into their hands".

Baksa District Commissioner Gautam Das said that assembly of five or more persons in places within 500 metres periphery of the jail, carrying of lethal weapons or firearms in public places, including sticks, spears, swords and others, will not be allowed.

Additional Chief Secretary (Home and Political Department) Ajay Tewari, in an order, stated that due to serious law and order situation in Baksa district, the state government apprehends that social media and internet may be used to further spread inflammatory messages.

"Therefore, to prevent any deterioration in the situation, internet/mobile data service of all mobile service providers in the entire Baksa district will be prohibited," the order stated.

The order, however, clarified that voice calls and the broadband connectivity based on fixed telephone lines shall remain functional during this period.

Earlier in the day, North East India Festival (NEIF) chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer's manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya were remanded to judicial custody by the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate after their police remand ended.