Lucknow/Guwahati, 18 December
In Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh on issues like farmers’ problems, inflation, privatization and law and order and in Guwahati on various issues including unrest in Manipur and bribery allegations against the Adani Group, both places were held by the Congress party. One party worker died. Congress has claimed that the deaths of party workers are due to police torture.
Uttar Pradesh police sources said that 28-year-old Prabhat Pandey, a resident of Gorakhpur, was taken dead from the Congress office to the hospital. DCP (Central Lucknow) Raveena Tyagi said, “Prabhat Pandey was brought to the civil hospital in Hazarganj in an unconscious state from the Congress office. The doctors declared him dead. Apart from this, the post-mortem will be conducted by the panel and the entire process will be videographed. On the other hand, Congress Uttar Pradesh unit president Ajay Roy has claimed that a Congress activist died due to police brutality during the attempt to lay siege to the Vidhan Bhavan.
Similarly, during a march by Congress workers in Assam’s Guwahati towards the Raj Bhavan over various issues including unrest in Manipur and allegations of bribery against the Adani Group, one Congress worker was allegedly killed by tear gas and Many others were injured. However, this senior police officer said that the exact cause of the Congress worker’s death will be known only after the post-mortem report. He denied that anyone was injured during the incident.
During the clash between the police and Congress supporters, Congress Assam unit president Bhupen Kumar Borah and former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora fell on the ground and were taken into custody. Later they were released.
Party spokesperson Bedarat Bora claimed that Congress legal cell member Advocate Mridul Islam (45) felt difficulty in breathing after a tear gas shell fell near him and his health deteriorated. He said, “Mridul was immediately taken to a nearby private hospital and after that was taken to Guwahati Medical College Hospital, where he was declared brought dead.” He said that several media including senior journalist Amarendra Deka and his cameraman. The workers were injured and are undergoing treatment at GMCH.
On the other hand, after visiting the GMCH, Guwahati Police Commissioner Digant Barah said, “Only three tear gas shells were fired by the police on the road so that the people would disperse due to the smoke.” He said that the Congress had destroyed the Raj Bhavan. The permission to march was not even taken. -News-Patiala
