Guwahati, Dec 18: Political tensions soared in Guwahati as a Congress supporter died following alleged injuries sustained during a police crackdown on party protesters.

The deceased, identified as Mridul Islam, reportedly sustained injuries from a tear gas shell and was rushed to Guwahati Medical College, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

The protest, organized by the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC), drew hundreds of Congress workers outside the Raj Bhawan, demanding action against the Modi government. Tensions escalated as police moved in to disperse the demonstrators, leading to the detention of several protesters, who were later taken away in police buses.

The police action was met with criticism over the alleged use of excessive force. Reports indicate that several journalists covering the protest were also injured, as tear gas shells were allegedly fired directly at the protesters.

In response to the incident, the APCC filed an FIR at the Latasil police station, demanding accountability for Mridul Islam’s death and the police’s use of tear gas during the protest.

APCC president Bhupen Borah condemned the police’s actions, alleging a “pre-planned conspiracy” to suppress democratic protests. “We were peacefully marching towards the Assam Governor’s house when police suddenly fired tear gas shells at the protesters. They fired three tear gas shells at the same spot, causing injuries to many journalists and a fatal injury to our colleague Mridul Islam. This is a conspiracy by the BJP to crush democratic protests and instil fear among the public,” Borah stated.

However, Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah offered a different account, denying that tear gas shells had caused any injuries. “There are no injury marks on the body of the deceased. He participated in the protest, but we were informed that he complained of uneasiness and was rushed to the hospital. The post-mortem will reveal the actual cause of death. We did not fire tear gas shells directly at protesters; we rolled three shells to disperse the crowd. No one was hurt. In the past, we have no records of any death caused by tear gas,” Barah said.

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