Caught on camera, Congress MP Rakibul Hussain assaulted by masked men while riding scooter in Assam

No one suffered anything more than minor injuries, according to Assam DGP Harmeet Singh. “The SP is investigating the incident himself… The two PSOs got a little injured,” the DGP said.

Nagaon SP Swapaneel Deka said the incident took place while Hussain was on his way to a party meeting.

“He had travelled in a car from Nagaon to Rupahihat. From there, he took a scooter, and after a couple of kilometres, a gang stopped him. His security officers fired two blank rounds to disperse them. The MP is not injured and went on to attend the meeting,” the SP said.

Police will do a “video analysis” to identify the suspects. “There were around 60-70 people there in the market. They did not have any party banner with them,” SP Deka said.

Hussain said he, his two security officers and his son, Tanzil, were travelling on two-wheelers in anticipation of attacks on their cars.

“We had taken permission for the meeting. Here, we know that they break cars and the SP here says that breaking cars is a bailable offence and insurance also doesn’t cover the damage. That’s why we didn’t bring the cars and just came in three motorbikes… We also knew that they were there, but we did not think that they would physically assault us. I told the SP and he said he has taken it up with the OC (officer-in-charge),” he said.

He alleged that the OC was not present at the point from where he was supposed to escort them to the meeting.

The incident took place near the Samaguri area, from where Hussain had been a five-time MLA before he contested and won Lok Sabha elections from the Dhubri parliamentary constituency last year. In the resulting bypoll in the Samaguri Assembly constituency in Nagaon district, the Congress had nominated his son Tanzil, who lost to the BJP’s Diplu Ranjan Sarmah after a campaign marred by several instances of poll-related violence.

The Congress has raised alarm over an MP being assaulted in public.

“The way they were attacked makes one thing very clear – Himanta Biswa Sarma and his government have completely failed at law and order, and an elected representative can be attacked this way on the road…. If Himanta Biswa Sarma thinks he can keep making political gains through muscle power, he is wrong. The video of the people who attacked Rakibul Hussain is out. If even after that, police don’t take action, then the people of Assam will be compelled to believe there is jungle raj in the state and that the whole police department has been weaponised by the BJP,” Assam Congress president Bhupen Borah said.

Congress MP from Jorhat seat, Gaurav Gogoi, said, “In Assam, a Congress Lok Sabha MP is attacked by thugs in broad daylight in a busy marketplace. The goons even attacked the police security officers and tried to snatch their weapons. All of this is recorded on camera. Yet, the Chief Minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, refuses to ensure that the thugs will be arrested immediately…”

Speaking in the Assembly, CM Sarma said Hussain’s security would be increased. “In the past one year, several such instances (against Hussain) have happened. As the Home Minister, I will ensure that he gets increased security when he visits both Rupohihat and Samaguri,” Sarma said.