Guwahati: The Indian Army engaged in anti-insurgency operations in Assam is once again mired in a row over torture in custody of an United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) suspect, forcing authorities to apologise and order a court of inquiry.
Hundreds of people blocked a highway for hours near Khowang in Dibrugarh district on Friday, protesting the alleged third-degree torture meted out to a farmer, Nipul Saikia, after he was picked up by soldiers from his house five days ago.
"I think Saikia was not treated properly and so we have ordered a court of inquiry. I would like to assure you that the guilty would be punished," Major General NC Marwah, general-officer-commanding (GOC) of the 2nd Mountain Division said.
Saikia was picked up from his home on Monday on suspicion of being a linkman of the outlawed ULFA and was kept in their custody until Thursday before he was admitted to the Dibrugarh Medical College with serious injuries.
"Saikia was brought to hospital with rectal bleeding and his condition was serious. The injuries were suffered probably due to electric shocks," a doctor attending on him said, requesting not to be named.
The GOC visited Saikia at the hospital and tendered his personal apologies to him for the incident.
There were similar protests in the eastern Tinsukia district where hundreds of people took to the streets and blocked highways to protest the detention of about 20 villagers, including women and children.
The villagers were picked up by the Army earlier in the week after an explosion triggered by the ULFA injured a soldier in the area. The Army authorities on Friday released 10 women and children after the protests.
The Army is engaged in a massive military operation in eastern Assam against the ULFA after New Delhi last month called off a six-week ceasefire blaming the outfit of stepping up attacks.
In July, the Army punished Major Nishant Sharma and Rifleman Sudip Gurung after finding the duo guilty of killing a villager in custody.
The military court ruling came after the Assam government lodged a protest with the Army saying the villager, Ajit Mahanta, was shot dead after being picked up by the Army on suspicion of having links with the ULFA.
His body was found in a bag in a hospital in neighbouring Dibrugarh town in eastern Assam the next day after he was picked up. The Army then claimed Mahanta was shot dead when he tried to escape.
The Assam government's decision to seek a probe into Mahanta's death followed widespread public protests in eastern Assam that prompted police to open fire killing nine protestors.
"These kinds of torture and excesses by the army in the name of countering militancy would further alienate the masses," an analyst said.
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