A still from a video clip shows the brutal assault by the mob, which contained many women, on the stall owners.
Woman stripped in Assam mob justice; BJP leader prime accused
Roadside stall couple brutally attacked, woman stripped in public; BJP leader arrested and other accused on the run as fury spreads across state
The brutal assault on a couple running a roadside fast-food stall in North Assam’s Lakhimpur district, including the alleged stripping of the woman in public, has sparked major outrage across the north-eastern state.
The incident took place under Chauldhowa Police Outpost along NH-15 on the night of June 15. The mob attack was allegedly triggered by a dispute over a temporary structure being built near the couple’s shop.
According to the couple, a group of local residents objected to the construction of the temporary bamboo structure, claiming that it had come up on government land. What began as a dispute over the location of the structure soon turned violent.
Woman assaulted, stall vandalised, cash looted
The group allegedly vandalised the stall, assaulted the couple and dragged the woman on to the road before stripping her in public. Videos of the incident, recorded by onlookers, have since gone viral on social media, triggering widespread condemnation.
Her husband alleged that the attackers not only damaged the shop but also looted cash. “A group of men and women came to my shop. Some of them went behind it and later entered my shop, vandalised it, and looted Rs 8,000 from the cash box. They dragged my wife to the main road and stripped her in full public view,” he alleged.
The family said the stall was their only source of income. “I opened this shop in front of my house to make a living,” he said, admitting that it is government land.
BJP leader prime accused
His wife recounted her ordeal too. “My husband and a cousin tried to rescue me from the mob. But they failed. I was dragged to the main road and stripped. They also hit me in my private parts,” she alleged.
The woman named five persons in the FIR: Harikanta Charingia, an active local BJP leader, Tulsi Payeng, Paplu Payeng, Tutu Kaman, and Zerifa Kaman. She alleged that the attack was carried out at the behest of Charingia, who is known to be close to state Education Minister Ranoj Pegu.
Police have registered a case and arrested Charingia. The remaining accused are on the run and efforts are on to trace them. Sources said a few other persons have also been detained for questioning.
Activists, police, administration jump into action
As the incident sparked anger across the district, senior officials visited the spot. The District Commissioner, Senior Superintendent of Police, Additional Superintendent of Police, and officials from the revenue department assessed the situation and met the victims.
The Circle Officer of Kadam Revenue Circle conducted an inquiry at the site in the presence of the family. A team from the Women’s Commission also visited the area and reviewed the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Women’s organisations and civil society groups have demanded immediate action against those involved. Several organisations have also lodged separate complaints at the Chauldhowa Police Outpost seeking strict punishment for the accused.
Jagriti Nari Shakti, the women’s wing of the Assam Jatiya Parishad (AJP), strongly condemned the incident and demanded speedy investigation. Its secretary, Manasi Rajkhowa, said the incident reflected the dangers faced by women when mobs take the law into their own hands and called for exemplary punishment for those responsible.
Congress writes to AHRC
The matter has also reached the Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC), with former Congress MLA Debabrata Saikia seeking its intervention. In a letter submitted to the commission on June 17, Saikia urged the AHRC to take suo-motu cognisance of the case and seek an action taken report from the Lakhimpur district police.
“We are shocked to know about the incident. The AHRC should intervene into it immediately,” Saikia said. He added that the incident amounted to a violation of constitutional rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21.
Also read: Violence erupts in Assam's Bodoland belt after forest eviction drive, more than 20 injured
“The woman was subjected to severe humiliation by being stripped in full public view on the open road. This has clearly violated her modesty,” he said.
Saikia also sought an inquiry into possible lapses on the part of the police and demanded interim relief for the family. “The people of Assam want a state where there is rule of law rather than mob justice. Nobody should be allowed to take the law into his hand,” he added.
Next Story