Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Guwahati: Protests are building in Assam as families demand the release of three young men jailed for organizing a demonstration. Police arrested the group on July 23 after they attempted to coordinate a local event supporting the Cockroach Janata Party campaign.
The detainees are Monjur Rahman, 23, Ashraful Islam, 21, and Abdul Kashem, 23. All three are from Islampur village in the Lakhimpur district. The men intended to protest the NEET exam paper leak and push for the resignation of then Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The goal was reached when Pradhan left his post.
Family members argue the arrests are unnecessary. The central demand is already met. Supporters claim the youths simply used a WhatsApp group to rally people for a peaceful gathering. They even sought police permission before the event, though officials denied the request. Police later booked the men under Laluk Police Station Case No. 149/26.
Authorities charged the trio under Sections 61(2)(b), 353(1), and 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Section 152 is serious. It covers acts that allegedly endanger the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India. This includes charges like incitement to secession or armed rebellion.
The men have distinct backgrounds. Rahman is a Master of Commerce student who police pulled from his family’s farm on July 22. Islam, also an M.Com student, was picked up near his home at midnight. Kashem, a pharmaceutical science graduate who teaches at a private school, reported to the station after a summons.
Local critics say the trio was just exercising democratic rights. Police remain silent. They have issued no updates on the case or the mounting pressure for release. Supporters expect more action, stating, "The purpose of the agitation has already been achieved."
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