Senior Assam Congress leaders, including state chief Bhupen Kumar Borah and Indian Youth Congress (IYC) national president Uday Bhanu Chib, were released from custody late Friday evening after being detained earlier in the day. The leaders were on their way to attend an all-faith prayer meeting in memory of party worker Mridul Islam, who passed away during a protest two days ago. The arrests, which included other prominent Congress figures such as former state chief Ripun Bora, were reportedly preventive measures taken by police to avert potential protests. Authorities cited a planned “Dispur gherao” programme by the Youth Congress as the reason for the detentions.
However, the Congress leadership refuted these claims, asserting that all agitational activities had been postponed for three days following Islam’s death.”Our leaders were attending a prayer meeting, not an agitation,” said Zubair Anam, state Youth Congress president. “Despite heavy security and restrictions, we only aimed to honor our late member.” Police commissioner Diganta Barah confirmed the arrests but maintained that the measures were necessary to prevent public disorder.
Prohibitory orders had been imposed in Dispur, barring any public gatherings. Chib, who had arrived in Guwahati on Thursday, was placed under preventive detention at a city hotel, where he was allegedly denied access to his lawyer and had his mobile phone confiscated. Youth Congress members gathered outside the hotel, demanding his release, and raised slogans against the BJP-led state government.