Guwahati, Feb 20: Congress MP Rakibul Hussain and his personal security officers (PSOs) were attacked by a mob in Assam’s Nagaon district on Thursday, prompting Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to announce that the opposition leader’s security will be beefed up while he is in the district.
Hussain, who represents Assam’s Dhubri constituency in the Lok Sabha, is unhurt but his two PSOs sustained minor injuries, a police officer said.
The state Congress demanded ‘immediate arrest of those involved in the attack.
Hussain was on his way to attend a party meeting at Gunomari village under Rupohi police station on a two-wheeler when he was attacked with cricket bats by a group of people who had their faces covered with black cloth and were shouting slogans against the MP, police said.
The PSOs tried to protect the MP by opening fire but they were also attacked.
Additional police forces reached the spot and dispersed the crowd, while Hussain was taken to a hospital where he was given first aid.
The police have launched an investigation into the incident.
Making a statement in the assembly, The chief minister said that the crowd tried to prevent Hussain from going to the village when his PSO opened fire.
The MP later went to the place where he was scheduled to address the meeting and it was conducted in the presence of the district Superintendent of Police, he said.
Sarma said that the security of the MP will be beefed up while he is in the district, particularly in Samaguri and Rupohihat areas.
DGP Harmeet Singh told reporters that the situation was under control and the SP concerned was conducting investigations into the incident.
”We will share further details as the investigation progresses,” he added.
The MP is unhurt but his two PSOs have received minor injuries and are being provided with necessary treatment, Singh said.
Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Bhupen Borah condemned the attack on Hussain, describing it as a failure of the chief minister, who also holds the home portfolio, in maintaining law and order in the state.
”If no action is taken against the attackers by the police, it has to be said that there is jungle raj in the state and the people of Assam will be forced to acknowledge that police have become a tool in the hands of the BJP,” he said.
There have been several such attacks on Congress leaders and workers under this dispensation but no action has been taken so far against the perpetrators, he alleged.
The Congress leader demanded the ”immediate arrest of those involved in the attack and adequate security to the MP whose life is under threat”.
”If the CM fails to take any action, we will be forced to take strong steps,” he added.
Hussain had won from the Dhubri Lok Sabha seat last year by a record margin of over 10 lakh votes.
His son had contested the bypoll for the Samaguri assembly constituency, represented by Hussain for five terms, and had lost to BJP candidate Diplu Ranjan Sarma.
Several incidents of violence were witnessed in the constituency and nearby areas in the run-up to the by-polls in November last year. (PTI)
