Guwahati, April 28: A day after the attack on Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi and MLA Sibamoni Borah, the Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) on Monday demanded an impartial investigation and the immediate arrest of the attackers. They submitted a memorandum to Assam Director General of Police (DGP) Harmeet Singh, citing available video and photographic evidence.
On the other hand, police stated that the attack was orchestrated by an expelled Congress member, who was denied a party ticket for the upcoming Panchayat election.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Akhilesh Kumar Singh said that Imdadul Islam, a resident of Bhuragaon in Morigaon district who was expelled from the Congress two days before the attack, was the mastermind. A group from Nagaon and Morigaon districts executed the assault on Sunday at Dumdumia under Juria police station, while Bordoloi and Borah were returning from a panchayat election campaign. Two vehicles were extensively damaged.
IGP Singh, alongside Nagaon Superintendent of Police Swapnaneel Deka, confirmed that the attackers had been identified and efforts were underway to arrest them.
In the immediate aftermath, Bordoloi had publicly blamed Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, calling him the “sardar” of the criminals and vowing that Congress would not be intimidated. The police’s findings introduce a contrasting narrative.
Separately, a Congress delegation led by former MP Bolin Kuli met with DGP Singh, demanding a review of law and order across districts and calling for enhanced security for opposition leaders and candidates. They urged that explanation calls be issued to district SPs where political violence has been reported.
In their memorandum, Congress accused the Assam Police of acting in “active connivance” with the ruling BJP during the ongoing panchayat elections.
They alleged that police had previously intimidated Congress candidates and obstructed nominations and that attacks on party leaders were no longer isolated but part of a “systematic attempt to intimidate the Opposition.”
The memorandum stated, “Democracy demands that the ruling party respect the opposition’s right to function freely and fearlessly. Sadly, in Assam, we are witnessing an erosion of democratic norms and a rise in lawlessness and political violence.”
It further warned, “If elected representatives are unsafe, the peril faced by ordinary party workers can only be imagined.”
