Lakhimpur Police Net Over 100 Touts and Corrupt Officials

Guwahati: Lakhimpur police swept through the district this week, arresting more than 100 people. The operation targeted middlemen and touts hovering near government buildings. Officers raided police stations, revenue circle offices, pension offices, Block Development Offices, and District Transport Offices. The goal is to stop parasitic intermediaries and let citizens access welfare schemes without interference.

Corruption runs deep in local administration. Police booked Safiqul Islam, the Gaonburha of Mohghuli, for allegedly taking a 20,000 rupee bribe. A video from September 6 shows Islam taking the cash from an elderly man to settle land paperwork. This arrest is part of a larger push against graft in the district.

Police also moved against a prominent local figure in Laluk. They arrested advocate Saheba Ahmed on Wednesday evening for allegedly pushing a 14-year-old domestic worker to take her own life. The victim, Arifa Begum, died in November 2025 after consuming herbicide at Ahmed's home. Her mother filed an FIR claiming her daughter suffered through assault and humiliation. Arifa died at Assam Medical College and Hospital on November 10. Investigators charged Ahmed under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Officials are also digging into Ahmed's background, noting she "has previously faced allegations concerning various activities" related to the NGO she runs in Laluk.