Zubeen Garg case: Human Rights registers case against Baksa police over lathi charge
Guwahati: The Assam Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has registered a case against the Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime), Baksa, following allegations that he ordered an unprovoked lathi charge on protesters outside Baksa District Jail on Wednesday.
The violent response came when demonstrators tried to block the entry of five persons accused in the Zubeen Garg murder case.
The AHRC logged the case, numbered 355/25 (26), in response to a petition filed by Indian Students Organisation (ISO) president Durlav Talukdar and general secretary Ananya Saikia.
Their complaint names Additional SP Gitartha Dev Sarma, accusing him of using excessive force during the October 15 protest.
In their petition, ISO describes the lathi charge as “premature and excessive,” arguing that protesters were peacefully exercising their constitutional right to assembly under Article?19(1)(b).
The petition also claims the police action breached their fundamental rights under Article?21 and violated international human rights norms under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).
ISO further alleges that the demonstration turned chaotic when the five accused in the Zubeen Garg case arrived at the jail.
Amid reports of vandalism and clashes, police responded with a lathi charge, tear gas, and blank firing, causing injuries to protesters, journalists, and police staff alike.
The petition contends that police ignored protocols laid out by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D), the Model Police Act of 2007, and Supreme Court rulings such as D.K. Basu vs. State of West Bengal, which require a graduated approach, starting with warnings, dialogue, non?lethal tools (like water cannons), and resorting to force only when necessary.
“By carrying out a premature lathi charge, they have disregarded democratic norms and human rights,” the petition states.
It calls on the AHRC to launch an independent, time-bound probe into Additional SP Sarma’s conduct.
It also demands disciplinary action, medical aid, compensation for the injured, and compulsory human rights training for police forces.
Labeling the incident a “serious breach of public trust,” ISO affirmed its resolve to press for accountability and justice.
The AHRC plans to request reports from the Baksa district authorities as part of its investigation.