Photo Courtesy: nenow
Guwahati: Villagers and tea workers swarmed the Baghjan Police Station on Monday. They want the government to drop plans to shift their jurisdiction to the Barekuri station. The protesters made their stance clear. If officials do not back down, they will shut down local transport, tea factories, and Oil India oilfield operations.
The move stems from an August 2026 government order. Officials want police stations to align with the new 85-Makum Assembly constituency boundaries following the Election Commission delimitation. Residents argue this change creates a nightmare for safety. Barekuri is 20 kilometers away, leaving the elderly and women isolated during nighttime hours or flood season.
Protesters highlighted the high stakes in their region. The area hosts critical Oil India Limited installations, oil rigs, factories, and tea gardens. It also sits next to the sensitive Dibru-Saikhowa zone. Residents submitted a formal memorandum to the Tinsukia Deputy Commissioner, the Senior Superintendent of Police, and the state government.
Doomdooma Co-District Superintendent of Police Diganta Dutta arrived at the scene to address the crowd as the protest raged. The community maintains that administrative convenience must not come at the cost of emergency access. They stated, "Residents, however, said the administrative changes should not make it harder for people to access police and emergency services."
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