Producer: Varsha Rani
Video Editor: Pawan Kumar
I am a tourism entrepreneur from Assam. On 7 October, I along with my other team members were returning after organising a tourist camp at Ziro Music Festival in Arunachal Pradesh. What started as a regular day for us, turned out to be a nightmare for us.
Once back to our hometown, Demow. We were fast asleep, when there was a knock at our door. Men dressed in civilian clothes entered my house and asked me to come to the police station along with my team members.
We all were taken to the Moran police station. While we were on our way to the station, our phones were taken away.
In the wee hours of the morning of 8 October, my team and I were assaulted by Moran police because the Officer-In-Charge, Bijoy Daimari accused my team members and me, of eve-teasing his wife.
'The Police Physically Assaulted Us Without Any Evidence'
Within half-an-hour, we reached Moran police station. There was pin-drop silence, for two-three seconds. I was the first one to go and ask, 'May we know, why we are here.' To which, I was responded by a kick in my groin area, for which, I wasn't prepared at all.
My team members were physically harassed by the police.
(Image courtesy: Gyandip Borgohain)
One of my team members was at the hospital after being physically assaulted.
(Image courtesy: Gyandip Borgohain)
Another team member, who was injured.
(Image courtesy: Gyandip Borgohain)
For 10-15 minutes, the officer, his driver, and the other police officials present there all started beating my seven members team. There were altogether eight people, including me. They were targeting our groin areas, the chest and with both their hands, they were hitting really hard on their ears.
We all were clueless, as to on what basis were we being treated like this. I demanded the CCTV footage of the crime but the police said nothing.
Later, a woman, wearing a traditional dress came to the police station along with an assistant. She came to identify us, but she denied and shook her head, saying, it wasn't us.
Despite the woman denying that it was not us, we were all lined-up and the police continued to assault us.
Picture of my friend after the assault.
(Image courtesy: Gyandip Borgohain)
One of my team members was seriously bruised.
(Image courtesy: Gyandip Borgohain)
The police asked my team to take off their pants. Everybody was looking at me, with begging eyes, like what is this going on. They stripped my team naked and filmed the entire incident.
I Was Told To Remain Silent & Not Lodge a Complaint
Some of the juniors from my team came to the police station. People started coming to the police station. The police officer was under pressure and became emotional.
He was saying that he does not remember most of the things as he was drunk a night before. He said things like, 'your career would be at stake.' He asked me not to go to any court or make any complaints.
The incident was also followed by an outrage in Assam, people took to social media calling for justice.
Screenshot from Twitter.
(Image courtesy: @Chitrology/ Twitter)
Screenshot from Twitter.
(Image courtesy: @wanderingrahul/Twitter)
On 9 October, we filed a complaint at Moranghat police station. A departmental inquiry is being conducted now. Police officer Bijoy Daimari has been suspended along with one more officer.
But this is not the end to our problems, we were physically harassed by the police without any evidence, we hope to get justice.
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