Dibrugarh, April 7 : Lakhimpur town today witnessed a groundswell of public outrage over the deaths of 14 people in yesterday’s hooch tragedy with the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) spearheading the protest against illegal liquor trade that has allegedly struck deep roots in the district.
The students’ union has also demanded a judicial inquiry.
Official sources said the state government had suspended two excise department officials, including the superintendent of excise of Lakhi-mpur district, Padmeswar Pegu, for dereliction of duty and their alle-ged nexus with illegal liquor merchants.
A two-hour sit-in was organised under the aegis of the North Lakhimpur Regional Students’ Union of the AASU at AASU Swahid Bhawan from 10am. All the 22 local units of AASU in Lakhimpur district staged black-flag demonstrations.
“We have demanded a judicial inquiry; we believe that an influential lobby of corrupt politicians in collusion with the excise department and police to some extent are working behind the scene to ensure that the illegal liquor business continues to flourish in the district,” the president of the Lakhimpur district committee of AASU, Amal Goswami, said.
The students’ union will move the Human Rights Commission in this regard. “Some people are playing games with the lives of others in blatant violation of human rights. We have, therefore, decided to move the rights panel,” Goswami said.
The students’ union submitted a memorandum listing their demands.
Pator, who is also the Lakhimpur Sadar circle officer, came to meet the students during their sit-ins.
Lakhimpur deputy commissioner Jayant Narlikar today said over telephone that the period of magisterial inquiry had been extended by another couple of days.
Post a Comment 0 comments: