Guwahati, Oct 18: Nine people have been arrested so far in connection with violence during the shifting of five accused in Zubeen Garg’s death case to a jail in Assam’s Baksa district, police said on Saturday.
Several others involved in the violence have been identified, and a search operation is underway to arrest them, Baksa Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ujjal Pratim Baruah said.
“We have arrested nine people so far. More have been identified. Some of the accused are absconding but we will apprehend them soon. We have taken this investigation very seriously, and a team is taking it forward. The media, local people, all are helping us,” the SSP said.
Baruah also said the local people were even providing food to the security personnel on duty.
Violent protests had erupted near the Baksa jail on Wednesday when five accused in Garg’s death case were brought there after a court in Guwahati remanded them to judicial custody.
The SSP maintained that “true fans of Garg have nothing to worry as those who incited the violence in the guise of being fans have been identified”, adding that a “number of history-sheeters, involved in bike-lifting, cattle-lifting and such crimes, are among those who were found guilty”.
“A WhatsApp group has been found where discussions centred around creating unrest. Updates from the media on the movement of the convoy carrying the accused were shared in this group. A person sitting in Bangalore, who is the admin of the group, was inciting the members to hurl stones. He has been identified,” the officer added.
Forty police personnel, including senior officers, were injured in the violence, and many sustaining serious wounds are recovering now, he said.
“Additional forces have been deployed in the violence-hit area and the situation is now under control,” Baruah added.
Besides police personnel, media persons were injured when the protestors hurled stones at vehicles carrying the five accused and torched several other vehicles.
Police had to baton-charge and fire tear gas shells to control the situation.
Internet and mobile data services were suspended in the district, following the unrest, but were restored on Friday, as the situation returned to normal.
Prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, remain in force in Mushalpur town, where the jail is located, and adjoining areas.
Security has been tightened in and around the jail, where the accused have been lodged following the court order.
Garg had died while swimming in the sea in Singapore on September 19. He was there to participate in the 4th North East India Festival (NEIF).
NEIF chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, the singer’s manager Siddhartha Sharma, his cousin and police officer Sandipan Garg and his personal security officers Nandeswar Bora and Prabin Baishya are lodged at Baksa jail.
Two others arrested in the same case — Garg’s band members Shekharjyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahanta — were also remanded to judicial custody by the Kamrup (Metro) chief judicial magistrate on Friday. The two have been taken to Haflong jail in Dima Hasao district.
A 10-member special investigation team (SIT) of CID of the Assam Police is probing the death of the singer-composer.
