Assam: Golaghat SP Rajen Singh apologises to forest worker Tarun Gogoi

Guwahati: Finally, Golaghat district superintendent of police Rajen Singh on Friday stepped into the house of forest worker Tarun Gogoi and apologised to him for his mistake a day after the SP picked up Gogoi from his house at midnight and brought to the police station only for not providing elephant safari ticket to Singh’s family.

Forest worker Tarun Gogoi thanked Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the director general of police (DGP) for taking the issue seriously and assured that no such incident would take place in further.

Gogoi, a forest worker of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve (KNPTR) was picked up by the SP from his house at midnight and brought to Kohora police station.

Later he was taken to Kohora Model Hospital for a health check-up and confined at the police station till 4 am on Friday.

The SP also mentally harassed the forest worker in the police station.

The SP is known as a habitual offender. Report says he misbehaved with forest staff at Mothanguri in Manas National Park when he was posted as an SP of Baksa district after which the park authorities stopped his entry in the Manas National Park.

Gogoi’s offence was that he could not get an elephant safari ticket for Singh’s family who wanted to go for an elephant safari in the national park on Friday.

Singh’s family visited Kaziranga National Park on Thursday and went for a Jeep Safari. But at midnight they desired an elephant safari on the next day.

The SP asked an ASI of Kohora police station to book a ticket for the elephant ride for his family, but the ASI informed him that all tickets for the elephant ride were already booked.

The ASI asked the forest worker Tarun Gogoi to manage tickets for the SP’s family, but he could not provide them.

Gogoi informed the SP that elephant safari tickets were booked in advance and there was no ticket for the next day's trip.

It is alleged that the SP also threatened Gogoi over the phone and misbehaved with him with foul language.

Angered at Gogoi’s action, the SP brought him to Kohora police station and confined him till 4 am.

After hearing the incident, Bokakhat SDPO, DFO of East Assam Wild Life Division, ACF and range officer rushed to Kohora police station and freed Tarun Gogoi at the intervention of Golaghat district commissioner.

Taking to the X (formerly Twitter) DGP GP Singh said: “I’ve been made aware of the last evening's undue detention of Sri Tarun Gogoi of @assamforest by @GolaghatPolice. I have spoken with Sri Gogoi and conveyed my regret as @DGPAssamPolice. SP Golaghat has also been suitably advised. Our aim remains courteous behaviour with fellow citizens. I have also conveyed my sincere apologies to the Hon CM Assam for the anguish caused to him and the Government. Apologies to the people of Assam with a commitment to improve further.”

Earlier, taking to X Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said: “I spoke to the Director General of Police, Assam Sri @gpsinghips regarding the incident involving the Superintendent of Police, Golaghat. We do not endorse arrogance, and public servants need to remain humble in their thoughts and actions.”

Meanwhile, the DFO of East Assam Wild Life Division cancelled elephant safari tickets for four tourists to allow the family members of the SP to go for an elephant ride in the national park.